Podcast #7 is up!
In this podcast, I discuss the reactions I get when others find out about my blog (which is basically when they find out about my deep, dark secret!)
I also share how finally grasping the concepts of limits and containers
was a huge step in my deslobification process.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: RSS
Other things mentioned:
28 Days to Hope for Your Home – an e-book not for the mildly disorganized
--Nony
I hadn’t listened to any of your podcasts previously because they generally popped up on my RSS feed when I was busy with other stuff. I now know how to listen to them. Today, I hit play and tidied up my main living space as my toddler finished her breakfast.
I’ll be catching up on your podcast as I clean over the next week (or so).
I struggle with being a slob as well. I also live with my 21 yr old son who is a slob. So we have two Linus pigpens under one roof. We walk through a room and things levitate and fall onto the floor.
I love your blog because it is “real”. Keep on keeping on!
Oh my word. That IS what they do! Levitate and fall on the floor!!!
I found your blog a few months ago and I look forward to reading your posts everyday! I’m LOVING the podcasts. I listen to them as I fold laundry. Keep it up…..please!!
Nony, I loved this. I have been on my own deslobification journey for many years now. I’ve been married for almost 30 years, and most of that time I’ve been somewhere on the roller coaster of it. I have all the Messies Manuals and several of Don Aslett’s books, I was one of the first ones to join the Slob Sisters computer forum, I knew Fly Lady back before she was Fly Lady, and I have tried a zillion books, gadgets, and systems. It’s been a lifelong journey, and I STILL can’t say that it’s over, but I certainly have made a lot of progress over the years. I will never be a Cleanie, but my house stays reasonable, for the most part. I have a *Very* simplified cleaning schedule which usually actually gets done, I work at organizing and getting rid of excess, and I frequently put things away after use. 🙂 I still don’t see clutter most of the time (my visual filter is very efficient) but I work at it. I even have a planner which I actually use, though I did have to make my own. All the ones I found had too many things on them and made me feel guilty for not using all of it.
Anyhooo, all that to say that I really get where you’re coming from and where you are. I admire the fact that you can establish a website that actually gets traffic and makes money (I had visions of that, but maybe I’m just too old? 🙂 ) AND can do home projects at the same time. Keep on keeping on. Maybe, just maybe, we can help each other. And btw, I loved what you said about containers. I’m a bit of a geek about word roots, and the relationship to containing a fire–too cool! 🙂
Thank you, Ronda! I felt so rambly in that one, so I’m glad at least a little of it made sense!!
Wow… great listening to you… what a great husband you have too. I like the way you didn’t tell people and made it your own thing. I’m starting to do that and it makes me feel like it is my thing… and before it was me trying to get everyone else to there thing. I’m more in control and realizing a lot of the stuff that is laying around is mine too.
Thank you!!
When you said how supportive and excited your husband and mum were for you my eyes leaked just a little (ok, a lot).
🙁 my sister says the same things if i share blogs or groups that provide inspiration to me.
Thank you for sharing these podcasts! I’ve heard the container/one-in-one-out concept before but didn’t really understand it either. When you mentioned your sock drawer, a light bulb went on! My sock drawer, although neatly divided with containers and even arranged by type of sock, is overflowing! (I hate opening that drawer!) An organizational system is in place, but there are just way too many socks. 🙂 I can see where I’ve done similar things all over my house. Thank you for explaining that containers are there to set limits. I am excited about putting this concept into practice!
This makes me happy!! Such an important concept that did NOT come naturally to me!
Still working on implementing this one. I keep looking for loop holes, like ‘I just haven’t found the right shaped container yet.’ As if that will magically allow everything to fit.
I started listening to your podcast at one or two episodes per day, and you’ve given me some new ideas to think about, so thank you. But when I heard you mention the cookbooks and how you should only keep the socks or books or whatever things that are your favorites, I immediately thought of Marie Kondo’s method of tidying, where you only keep the things that bring you joy. She is a naturally tidy person, and I love the concept behind her method, but implementing it has been difficult. But you are not a naturally tidy person, which makes your methods more accessible to me. You ask yourself the same question (“Does this make me happy?”), but you get there in a way that makes me think that maybe I can get there, too. Time will tell. What I can say now is that I very much appreciate you sharing your experiences to help other slobs like me!
After listening to this I have now subscribed. I can’t relate to many of the organising professionals out there as I can’t relate to them…or they don’t relate to me. We certainly don’t speak the same language when it comes to organising and decluttering. I’m looking forward to your newsletters and advice that makes sense to me.
A lot of relating in that post! 😀 I really should do a quick read of what I’ve written before hitting the Post Comment button.
This made me laugh out loud!!! So totally something I’d do/say!
Learning from you will help make moving this month much better. I have to listen or read your posts to stay on track! Thank you for putting yourself out there for people like me.
As I go through my junk, I have a new question: Does this bless my family?
My new house is my new container that I have to fit into. (Rather scary, yet exciting)
I discovered your website through a google search and I am loving it. I normally just visit websites, grab bits of info and leave (I certainly don’t leave comments), but you are refreshingly honest and entertaining. I’m on your seventh podcast and I have no intention of stopping/leaving. I’m in love.
I too am a creative type. By creative, I mean I do it ALL. Photos, blogs, music, writing, painting… you name it, I do it. Of course, with many hobbies comes SO much STUFF.
My strategy for coping has been GETTING RID OF THINGS. As much stuff as I can possibly live without. i.e. donating books I’ve read, scanning my poetry into the computer and trashing all the old papers, etc.
I struggle keeping surfaces clean and keeping things put away. I always felt like if I got rid of enough stuff that my house would be clean. I often feel that even when my house is picked up, it still doesn’t look good enough for company. You’ve given me a lot to think about and I really appreciate your down to earth approach and the strategies you’ve shared so far.
One thing I especially appreciate is that you’re not afraid to explain those simple concepts that most people don’t bother explaining because “everyone knows that.” Uh, no! Not everyone knows that, and nobody should have to feel stupid for raising hand and saying… “what exactly is a container for?” I’ve dealt with this in the kitchen. Recently I experimented with a recipe for macaroons and nobody bothered to mention that you can’t use carton egg whites. Probably everyone knows this, but I certainly didn’t.
Anyways, thank you for doing this blog. I’m enjoying it. ~Kayla
Welcome, Kayla!
Love your books – thank you! Going to restart the first one today, because my daily habits are not in good shape.
Question for you – I have a lonnnggg ways to go to declutter my house. I love the container concept and, for some things, it totally makes sense and works for me (ex. The number of cups I can keep in my cupboard or the number of trainers I keep on my shoe rack). For more things than I care to admit though, I have really never designated a home for them ever since we’ve lived here and they are EVERYwhere. I have no concept of enough. Asking the question of where would I look for an item might generate the answer of ‘the grocery bag on top of the three random boxes of stuff on the “temporary” storage station I’ve created with a folding table’, when the truth is there may be 6 more of that item stashed in equally random “temporary” places in rooms all over our house. Things like yarn for projects, plastic food containers, clothing, school supplies, tools, etc. I don’t have good designated homes for too many things. This leads to my thinking about the decorative boxes because, ‘I’ve got to start somewhere’. I’d love to hear your thoughts. I feel like I can’t move forward because I know temporary solutions is not the way to go, but it’s too big of issue to figure out permanent solutions all at once.
Thanks!
Thank you! I always thought that when I grew up, I would naturally become better at cleaning…and I warned my husband before we were married that I am not the type to keep everything tidy!
I have been listening to your podcasts from the beginning and it is great to hear from someone who thinks more like me. I DO understand the benefits of a clean home but it just isn’t always my priority.
That being said, I discovered something today. I heard crayons. I have so many! I keep them from restaurants and buy in bulk when school supply season comes. That is something to tackle a different day but at least I realized we have WAY too many crayons!
Today I organized under the computer window! There is carpet that I can see! I can stand at the window! It has been years since I was able to do that as this was a crafting graveyard. I used your ideas about containers and now all the crafts that were living under the desk and under the window are now in stackable tubs that I already had!
Now I feel like the one rambling!
Just had to say thank you though!
Hi Jennie,
I think Dana would tell you not to worry about organizing your stuff or where it lives but just concentrate on decluttering/getting rid of excess by doing the easy stuff first as it will release space & stop you having to make decisions, which can feel overwhelming. Hope this helps x
So, I’m really late to your game. But I’m here and as much as I hate to admit, I’m a fellow slob. After listening to a few of your episodes, my thought was “This woman is me.” So, episode 7, I LOL’d at your “I didn’t know what a container is” until you started explaining it. Then I was like “Hmmmm, looks like I don’t know what a container is either” because I’m definitely the “get me another container” person for any overflow. Truly, you are helping me reevaluate how to declutter my life. Thank you!
I have binged the first 7 podcasts this week and oh my, you get it!!!
I wish that I would have found you earlier as I’ve been “decluttering” my home for over 10 years. I get excited, get some stuff out of the house and then crash. Years & years of this and now my husband barely hears me when I tell him about the new method.
During this episode I decluttered my work bag. Had my headphones in and took things where they belonged right away. Looking forward to listening to more of your podcasts & decluttering while I learn from you.
Thank you for sharing your story!
I just starting binging this podcast and this was such an Ah Ha! moment for me!! I love this concept of the container is the limit. I’ve never thought of it that way. I love how you explain your thinking rather than just giving tips. It so helpful and really makes the ideas stick. Thank you so much for sharing!!
I love listening to your podcasts in the morning. They give me the pep talk I need to face the mess and deal with it everyday. With a family of seven things get messy fast. Thanks for helping me with your strategies. They make sense to me!
My grown daughter found you and hooked me up with your podcasts – now we are both loving and sharing them – so yes we needed your inspiration and your incredible helping tips that was a serious honest reality check for both of us. Thx u thx u!!
I absolutely love how you speak so openly and honestly. It makes so much sense, and you you make me feel like a normal mom, going through normal mom things. I appreciate the way you point out, for example, containers….most people think….a container is a big plastic box with a lid, and you can buy as many as you want at Lowe’s or Home Depot. I love the way you explained the word, using the root word. I dint know, it just really made sense to me. I have been reading the blog, but this is the first podcast I Have had the pleasure to listen to, so I will go back and listen to 1-6 and then follow along weekly. One more thing….There are so many people who give cleaning and decluttering advice, but so many of them make their plan virtually impossible to follow. I feel comfortable with you, and feel like I can get to where I need to be with my home in a way that makes sense. I appreciate you!!!!!
Laura, Riverview Michigan
Listened to you for the first time today as I a organizing my craft room. LOVED the comments on the containers.
I love to organize – it’s just keeping it organized is my issue. Working on it daily – thanks for your inspiration!
Dana, you have honestly changed my life. I devoured all your advice from “The Container Concept” to “The Five Stages of Decluttering with the Two Questions”, and will soon implement your advice on paper clutter (but I haven’t got that far yet). I love how instantly comprehensible it all is, and how it fundamentally changes the approach to messes, organizing, routines, limits, habits, and accountability.
Today I’m feeling sick, and like I can’t do anything. But since yesterday I kept up with all my maintenance routines, today I was able to say “Okay, I won’t do any EXTRA projects, and I’m allowed to be a whiny grouch, but I’m gonna do my best to keep up with my new habits so I don’t fall behind, because un-disastering is ten times harder than just doing it on time.
I don’t have a working dishwasher, but we use ours as a dish-drying rack. I got my son to empty it this morning, and that counts as points for me as if I did it because IT GOT DONE. But here’s the lightbulb moment I had: My sink is my “dirty dish container”. I try to wash dishes as they are used, but sometimes they get piled on counters or wherever. If I’m feeling lousy I often stack dishes neatly in the sink and fill with hot soapy water, hoping someone else will get the hint and wash a few for me. But today not all the dishes would fit, because I made lots of soup this morning and there were big pots. And suddenly I realized that if the dirty dishes wouldn’t fit in my container, then I HAD to wash them right now or it would get away from me!
So I set a timer for two begrudging minutes, and washed a pot and some silverware and some lids, enough that no dishes were left on the counter. The sink is still full of dishes (which I’m STILL hoping my son will wash) but I have honored The Container and meanwhile also made my dishes situation Two Minutes Better.
I could have let it fester. I have a good excuse today since I feel so awful all over. But a festering excuse doesn’t help the house function, and Two Minutes Better does. Heck, I can hold my BREATH for two minutes! I have no excuse to not buckle down and do a chore even if I don’t feel like it, for two minutes. As it turns out, two minutes is not nothing. I know the next time I stand up for any reason I can wander back into the kitchen and throw at least another two minutes at it, until it’s done.
I thought you would like to hear this story of how your advice and example has helped this Recovering Slob to change her home and life for the better.
Thank you so much, Dana! You are a total genius for coming up with these systems that don’t ask me to be anyone other than who I am before I can succeed! I have told my therapist about you and begged her to share your website and YouTube channel with any client who feels like a housekeeping failure. She sends her thanks to you too, by the way, because people who don’t know how to do this always assume it’s because THEY are not good enough, not just that they never knew the WAYS to succeed! You’re helping more people than you know, in ways you may never have imagined, every single day!