I often hear people say that they put off decluttering because it makes a bigger mess.
It can certainly be frustrating because a lot of times in the middle of decluttering we get interrupted and it looks so much worse than when we started. It would have been easier to just leave it alone!
So I decided to try out a method of decluttering without making a mess by Dana K. White from A Slob Come Clean. She is a pro at decluttering and is SO relatable– she gets that this isn’t easy!!
What you can find in this post:
- A video interview with Dana from A Slob Comes Clean and Author of Decluttering at the Speed of Life
- A follow-up video by myself with a few more thoughts why I think this method is SO magical!
- A written description of how this method works
- A YouTube video that I created where I tried out this system on our front closet
Did you get all that?? Ha! This must be good!
Video: Dana & I discuss decluttering without making a bigger mess
We were fortunate to do a Facebook live with Dana and were able to ask her more questions about this decluttering method.
Questions we cover:
- What if I have health issues that make it difficult to make multiple trips?
- Does this work for those with anxiety? ADHD?
- How do you keep family from “undoing” it all?
- How do get kids to help?
- What about helping teens declutter their bedrooms?
- How do you keep up the areas you’ve decluttered?
- What if I’ve always had good intentions, but never can get started or stick with it?
I think you’ll find Dana to be incredibly relatable and helpful!
Video: Why I think this method is SO powerful
It’s easy to say “well, that’s pretty much what I do”, but until you actually try this and take EACH item to its home, I don’t know if you’ll be able to experience how powerful it really is!
This is specifically for those of us who think:
- But really, wouldn’t making a pile be faster??
- Isn’t it a waste of time and energy to make a trip for EACH item??
Decluttering without Making a BIGGER MESS
I decided to experiment with our front hall closet. It still had all of our winter gear in plus LOTS of random remodeling supplies, and anything else the kids would shove in while “cleaning.”
And while the appeal of this decluttering method is that you’re never making a big mess, I also like that it requires very little materials, planning or forethought. In other words, its a simple process with simple materials!!
The only THREE things you’ll need:
1. Black trash bag – black so no one else in your family sees what you’re throwing away ;)
2. Donation box – for all the things that will be leaving your house!
3. Your feet – this is the magic behind this process: you actually put stuff where it goes right away!
Here you go, everything you need right here:
The whole premise behind Dana’s method is we put things away as we come across them and that’s how we don’t make a bigger mess. If I’m in the middle of decluttering and get interrupted and have to run, all I have is my garbage bag and donation box to put away and I’m back where I started. I have not made a bigger mess!
Step 1 – Start with the easy stuff. Is there obvious garbage or easy stuff that needs to get re-homed?
Step 2 – Put the item where it goes. Right away. Literally, walk there right now with it!
For example, in our closet I found some things that belong in the garage. So what I need to do is literally take it out to the garage. Right now.
Initially I’m thinking, Walk all the way to the garage with just one thing?? Why not just make a pile and go later?
What you can do: I can glance around and see if there’s anything else that needs to go in the garage and take that too, but yes, I am going to take this out to the garage right now.
What I CAN’T do: I’m not going to put it on a pile, I’m going to put it away right now.
At first I thought this would be annoying or frustrating to be constantly leaving the space, but after just one trip out to the garage it already felt nice that I didn’t have a pile of stuff to put away later. I’ve actually made progress now and I’ve totally finished that task!
So, this is what our entryway looked like the ENTIRE time I was decluttering:
MIND BLOWN!! No piles of stuff that STILL had to be dealt with. With each trip of putting stuff away, I was COMPLETELY dealing with that item– and it felt AWESOME!
Next, tackle the next layer of obvious stuff.
In our closet, it’s the winter gear. I didn’t put it away because it’s nearly impossible to get to the basement where I have totes to store our seasonal clothes. We still need to put the stairs back in after our remodeling project!
So I’m going to put everything into a garbage bag, drop it down and climb down the ladder and put it away right away. I want this closet clean so I’m going to fully take care of it and that will feel really good. Turns out it took about 10 minutes to get it down there and all put away. For how long I’ve been putting it off, and how much space it was taking up in the closet, it feels really silly that I didn’t do it sooner!
More things I decluttered…
- Shawl I never wore – donation box
- Draw string bags we got for free – donation box
- Knee pads – back in the closet
- 3 bags of items to return – walk out to the car
- Case of DVDs – off to the TV room
- Work gloves – stay in the closet
- Reusable bag and library books – out to the car
- Dirty sock – laundry room
- Hardware hook that needs to be returned – another trip out to the car
- Tom’s really dirty shoes – just throw them away ;)
This is a great way to get a lot of steps in too, so it’s a double win!
Every time I return from putting something away, I’m back to square one and I don’t have a big mess at my feet. If I had to walk away right now I’d be totally fine!
The Two Decluttering Questions (you only need TWO!)
Two questions to ask yourself when it comes to decluttering:
- If I were looking for this item, WHERE WOULD I EXPECT IT TO BE? – For example, we store our paint in the basement, not in the closet. So I need to put it back in the basement!
- If I needed this, would I REMEMBER THAT I HAVE IT??? – If I don’t remember that I have this, I’m not going to remember it again! Do I want something to take up space if I forget it’s even there? Nope!
Our final donation box didn’t have too much, but it was surprising how much stuff there was to throw away! This space stayed cleaned the entire time and that feels AWESOME!
I think this decluttering method is a winner and definitely want to keep using this method moving forward.
I will admit there were times I was tempted to make piles to go to the basement or the garage or the car but I’m really glad that I resisted and just made those trips each time. There’s nothing worse than to be working hard and getting it all organized, but when you turn around there are still huge piles that you still have to deal with.
So even though it took a little more time while I was doing it, in the end it was worth it!
Video: Testing this method on my front hall closet
(Or watch this video on YouTube here!)
If you’re interested in learning more, check out Dana’s book Decluttering at the Speed of Life. I definitely think it’s worth reading, or listening to while you’re going through specific areas of your house. She also has a podcast and other helpful tools that you might want to explore!
I would love to know if you think this No Mess Decluttering Method could work for you too, or if there are any modifications you would need to make.
Let us know in the comments!
What do you do with garage tools? I would like my husband to go through them and get rid of doubles, but he’s a busy man and I doubt he will do it. Are there any simple ways to only get down to the basics?
I found this fascinating and will try to do this, but with a modification. I have this small red plastic basket with a handle that I typically put stuff into that needs to go to the basement, and when I go there I take the basket and put everything away. So if I used the basket, but only put in those items going to one location and took it to the location right away, I would be doing the same thing. It’s probably the same amount you carried, but I’m 70, with some issues, so I don’t do stairs without holding on to the railing. One of your reusable bags would serve the same purpose. This would still be a major change for me, as I would be one of those people with huge piles behind me!
Dawn I began following your videos recently after watching this one first on youtube. I loved how you took a book I read and opened my eyes to the whole decluttering method by applying her ideas and showing us just how it works. My world has changed. I became addicted to your videos. Love Tom and Diana too (you two only look similar to me, not identical).
I am grateful to you for sharing tips and tricks, for sharing your journey, and lessons learned. I have gained so much courage and my expectations are realistic now, thanks to you.
My home of twenty years is becoming comfortable again. We lived for many years minimally, and then we bought our first forever home. Our kids were 4 and 5 and a half. We homeschooled and hobby farmed and life took over our home. Then one lived at home during college and after two years in an apartment, is back home working remotely. My other child went away to school for 7 years. Recently got his own apartment in a new state and still has his room upstairs. We had all of their stuff as well as ours and still do!
Your videos came at the perfect time. With daughter moved back home for the next year or so, her large room is now part office and her childhood had to move out. It and major clothes needed to be purged. Your enthusiasm gave me the motivation she needed… I drove her crazy, but I know she couldn’t have done it without all of the tips you shared with me…
With an adult child back in the home full time and hubby working from home too, we needed more space, more peace, less stress clutter. I did three suv loads already to the thrift store, plus she sold some furniture and we have some storage bins to deal with yet of things she will use in her next apartment. Funny thing is, two car loads were my stuff… I purged so much clothes too and dishes, and appliances, and keepsakes, and THINGS. I had 20 years of decorating and things we wanted to have all just getting in our way.
I cook three meals a day, I am finding it much easier in my kitchen already and I just got started. I have lots more to do to get to “a happy place” like it once was before I acquired what I thought I needed, lol. Simple is better, I wish I realized that much sooner. THANK YOU!
I have been going through my days just tidying as usual, but picking an item or items to donate from every room, and regardless of the sentimental value to me, I have been able to get a car load a week. (Yes three weeks in). Every room is a little less busy, and slowly I feel the calm as I notice less stuff (less to manage as you say).
My fridge face is clear for 4 days now, and I actually like it now. Didn’t know how that would feel, looked odd lol, but now I bet I would throw a fit if anyone put something up.
Did my fridge organization like yours and it really does work better! Awesome.
I will not get to less towels or sheets quickly. Will just not buy new as these go off to rags, we like them for now. BUT with less stuff about the bathrooms, they bulk linens are not an issue.
What else, ya books. Still have lots but none outside the shelves now! Oh my sewing will continue to get better too. Have things organized better and getting rid of what I won’t use and promised myself not to buy more. You know what they say about quilters, we become fabric junkies.
Anywhow, thanks. I can feel a difference already in my life. Redoing wardrobe helps to narrow down the wants, and therefore less impulse buying (onsale or thriftstore). And I just want to keep going to make my house a new kind of comfort zone. Just what we like, want, need, and nothing more. I guess if it took you a year I will take a breath and not get uptight that three weeks of work isn’t enough, haha.
As soon as my husband catches the bug we will be happier yet, he too has 25 years of stuff collected, and not just tools.
He only ever asked for my counters to be cleaned and that is what got me on this journey. They still have stuff, but as I work to clean cupboards etc I will eventually be able to comply, right. So far I like having organized cupboards and don’t want to add the appliances… guess I need to keep purging. At least now when they go for a pot or a Tupperware, they say “no stress!” Isn’t that funny.
Well you have me in a whirlwind and I don’t want it to stop, so keep up the great encouraging videos!
Best of luck homeschooling (you won’t regret it), and best of luck getting in shape again, I too have been trying to focus on that. Hard but well worth it. And you know what, you deserve it. (smile)
Life changing for sure! I read it last weekend and then went and got her first book so fast! Her approach just takes the dread out of it and has given me such renewed energy. Almost overnight my main floor transformed. This was such a great interview with her; thanks for doing it. She is so wise. And I loved your follow up video too Great points. Blessings :-)
That is AWESOME!! Way to go! :)