Share

cover art for 478: Q&A - Function Over Minimalism and the Power of the First Steps

A Slob Comes Clean

478: Q&A - Function Over Minimalism and the Power of the First Steps

I’m answering your decluttering questions that were submitted at AskDanaKWhite.com.


  • How can I plunk my homeschool routine in the middle of my dailies, progress with decluttering, and other housekeeping tasks without it all falling apart?
  • How do you prevent yourself from “going there” with your emotions? You said you have a lot of emotions about things. I get that!
  • When I’m going through my closet, I find items that I love. How do you part with items you love that you had put away for another time?
  • Can you please talk about getting rid of pieces of a set (like a set of dishes)?
  • How do I get to the next step when nothing really has a home?
  • What do I do with pages of notes and handouts that I have from various sources, such as meetings with health coaches, food webinars, gardening webinars, and decorating tips?
  • What are some ideas if your kids always wear through specific categories of clothes before the next laundry day?
  • Do I consider the five steps before I purchase an item that I don't necessarily need, such as clothing or home decor?
  • I helped a friend declutter, and it has returned. I love your concepts, but I am afraid I will not present your solutions to her successfully. Please help?
  • We just moved from a 2-bedroom apartment to a 4-bedroom house with a basement, garage, and attic. How do I "declutter" when I'm not hitting the walls of the container?
  • Is it possible to have a clutter threshold so low you can’t get below it? Any amount of clutter makes me feel like everything is out of control. This makes me feel overwhelmed, so the clutter continues to increase.


My books

 

My YouTube Channel!

Want to be a patron of the show? Find out how at Patreon. 

Want to find a decluttering coach??

Want to BE a decluttering coach??

More episodes

View all episodes

  • 504: Hobbies: Time to Give vs. Stolen Time

    36:38|
    Those of us who struggle with clutter are interesting people who are interested in so many things! One of the most frustrating things about clutter and a home out of control is that it feels like it eats up so much time we’d rather spend doing other things.Today I’m talking about how much time was freed up by doing my dishes every day. By decluttering. It doesn’t make sense at first glance so let’s go deeper than a glance.
  • 503: Minimizing Decluttering Regret

    35:13|
    I've been thinking a lot about my husband's comment about what he regrets decluttering. Having a set method to declutter that allows me to make fact-based decisions about what stays and what goes makes such a difference in minimizing decluttering regret.Methodical vs. Maniacal blog post
  • 502: Working In Cleaning Routines

    27:09|
    We're heading into spring, so lots of people are thinking about cleaning. I'm answering questions about working cleaning into your routines. From deep cleaning to everyday cleaning, what matters and how to make it happen!
  • 501: Answering Questions About Selling

    30:56|
    I get lots of questions about selling stuff vs donating, so today I’m answering some of them. From tips for having a good garage sale to navigating other people’s desire to sell instead of donate, we’ll cover it all. 
  • 500: Talking with Bob - Decluttering Regrets, Moving, Empty Nest, and More

    27:32|
    It’s episode 500, so my husband is joining me! We talked about how much better things function now in our home. I asked him if he had any decluttering regrets, and his answer led to a great conversation.
  • 499: Adjusting to Smaller Space & Larger Struggles

    57:46|
    Today’s guest is a full-time caregiver living in a much smaller space than she once had. But holding on to things that represent a previous identity are making it hard to embrace the things that would/could give her joy in her current reality. We discussed how to focus on small successes to instead of big and daunting goals.Dana's new children's book - Winnie's Pile of Pillows - is HERE! Order now!Dana's new children's book - Winnie's Pile of Pillows - is HERE! Order now!
  • 498: The Power of Negative Thinking

    39:03|
    I’m a big fan of Realistic Positivity. That’s positivity that’s based in knowing what to do and how to do it. Positivity is powerful. But so is negativity. If your automatic reaction is negative, here’s how to recognize the impact of that negativity and what to do to move forward.477: Noncommittal ExperimentationDana’s new children’s book – Winnie’s Pile of Pillows – is HERE! Order now!
  • 497: Working Through Family Treasures

    50:43|
    In this episode, we discuss:How you stay/get motivated to keep decluttering when you’re busy or tired.How to save memories from ancestors/family when you don’t think your kids will value them like you do.What to do with artwork done by family that you don’t have room to hang up in your smaller house.
  • 496: Ricochet Decluttering

    40:28|
    It can feel like every decluttering decision you make will be as hard as the ones you’re making right now. But if you look for opportunties to make your decluttering decisions ricochet, you’ll see how much it can make your decluttering speed up! And it will help you WIN in this battle against your stuff!