I loved this email I received recently!
Hello Dana!
This email has been with in my mind for over a year (TPAD)… I decided today I had to finally send it!I am so very thankful for you, for your podcast, audiobooks, and the fact that you are a believer. It’s all so refreshing and helpful. I have listened to everything at least twice ( some, more!)Let tell you my story.I grew up with a ” type A” mom…meaning there was never a stack of folded ( or unfolded…or dirty) laundry anywhere in the house, dishes were washed as they were used. The floor was mopped twice or more a week, and fitted sheets were folded in a Martha Stewart approved manner. And I never cleaned my own room…I was a slob living with a perfect housekeeper.Though I suspected there was something different between me and my mom, I never knew what it was until college. Bring on the demerits. I was a true slob. I didn’t see messes, I liked avoiding messes, and I loved treasures.Fast forward. My husband and I had been married 4 years and were expecting our fourth baby. We recently moved from a 3000 square foot house to an 800 square foot house due to job changes and things were bad. He came from a hoarder home and had his own struggles but together…it seemed hopeless.One whole room of this already cramped house was storage…floor to ceiling, wall to wall storage. Every time I turned around the dishes had taken over my kitchen. Laundry regularly molded in the basket or washing machine, and the master bedroom had piles and boxes containing who knows what…I had attempted cloth diapers, but let’s just say that wasn’t happening in my current state of overwhelm.Then…the scary news. We were moving ( our sixth move in four years) to a new house, new ministry, new job.Oh, and it was a parsonage. As in, the perfect house next to a church owned by the church. As in, everyone looked in windows. As in, the ladies were spending months cleaning and perfecting it. As in, people feel free to walk through the door at any time with little or no notice. ( Now, just to clarify, my people actually don’t do any of the nosy things listed here, but in my pre-move imagination, they totally would).I was terrified. It was both my dream house and my worst nightmare. How could I, the world’s worst housekeeper and biggest collector of things, live in a parsonage?!?!We were due to move after the baby’s birth in May and I found you in January. Those five months changed our whole life. I kid you not when I say I decluttered at least 30 boxes and large trash bags to Goodwill and even more to the trash can using your simple, non-emotional steps.I finally realized that doing the dishes (without a dishwasher at the time) was not optional…obvious to normal people but a real breakthough for me! Suddenly my kitchen had counter space and cooking was fun again.And my husband was so inspired he has kicked his hoarding tendencies completely. And I didn’t even have to say anything to him!!It was amazing how freeing the feeling of getting clutter out was. And even better, when I cleaned, things actually looked clean afterwards. Rather than still looking like a heap when it was done.We have been living in our parsonage for almost a year and a half now. Several times church folks have arrived at the door unannounced, and not one time have I had to be ashamed . Now it isn’t perfect, but we have kids so no one expects it to be. But it isn’t a heap, it isn’t a disaster.I’m so thankful for your help.These past four days are what motivated me to finally write you this email.My kids got sick…all four of them…And I’m pregnant…and my husband got sick too…and…we survived.I didn’t have to clean vomit off of piles of clutter.I only got slightly behind in laundry.I picked up trash.I used quiet moments to do quick 5 minute pick ups.And today, the first day of not sickness…my house isn’t overwhelming. I was able to do a normal level of work and it was back to its pre-sickness state.This would never have been possible without your mentoring. In the past, I’ve had to call my mother after times of sickness because I didn’t even know what to do. Now I can be the mom. And my whole family gets the benefit.Thanks Dana.
This story is beautiful and truly, her life has been changed. Dana, I hope you know what a blessing you are in our lives and that you never stop sharing your story with us!
Oh my! I feel for this lady. I, too, have had a tremendous change since finding you just a month ago. You truly are a blessing with your straight-forward honesty and down-to-earth real-life solutions for those of us like you who struggle. Thank you for deciding to write this blog oh-so-many years ago!
Hi Dana, Thank you for your wonderful insight on “being a slob”. I have struggled my entire life (I am 62) and could never figure out why I couldn’t keep my house livable. I actually cried as I watched the declutter TV episodes. I bought both your books and LOVE them. For the first time in years I am not living with dread about the doorbell ringing. I have a long way to go, but I now have HOPE!!
I have been going back and listening to your old podcasts and in some of them you are talking so fast I can’t keep up. Is it my connection or do you really talk that fast? Feel free to edit this comment.
Thank you!!
On the podcasts, double check that you didn’t accidentally hit the thing that makes them play at double speed or 1.5 speed.
my calandar notified me that pest control was coming (30min reminder-tpad me forgot i made the apt. last week) but i didn’t have to scramble or feel ashamed. thanks Dana!
I whole-heartedly agree with what was written in this post! It is a story that echoes with each and every one of us who has “discovered” Dana!
This is a heartwarming email! I just recently read your two books from the library. I love your approach to decluttering and implementing routines. You have taken the emotional aspect out of decluttering which frankly I need! I use to agonize over whether to keep an item, or let it go. It all took too long. I like how you put your favorites back first, and then what doesn’t fit goes. It makes it so much easier to make progress. I recently was able to donate some books in perfect condition to the library, as I realized I was never going to get around to making my own natural products. I realized that was in my fantasy life. I still have a ways to go, but your methods really work. Your two books are worth owning. By the way, I just decluttered some organizing books that did not work for me! Thanks, Dana!
What an inspiring story! The “church ladies” dropping in were a big fear around my house growing up. Watching the pastor getting up from the couch and leaving, the back of his black suit covered with white dog hair, was one of the more memorable moments of my childhood. I wonder when he discovered what he looked like.
I was determined to have a neater house myself, but God likes to play jokes on us and I ended up as a full-time professional dog sitter in my own home! Up to six dogs at a time.
Since I met Dana, people have marveled at how neat and clean my house is, given what I do for a living. I listen to your books and podcasts every day, Dana, while I’m doing my daily tasks and all. My dishwasher recently broke down for good, and I was worried that things would get out of control again, but, doing the dishes every day really works, whether or not you have a dishwasher, and I am living proof. Thank you, Dana. You are a blessing!
Wonderful guest post, but Dana, I just need to clarify – is it your dog that’s wacko, or your dog trainer??
Recently the lady who did my ironing retired, we don’t have lost of ironing but I resent spending an hour doing it during my weekend, then I realised doing a bit every day would be better than in a big chunk and found ten minutes a day I could carve out of my schedule, result ironing done before work not on the weekend. Doing something every day was the answer.
I am so glad the lady in your post found a way, it was heart-warming.
Everything the other commenters have said! No matter our age or situation, Dana’s methods make sense and the work gets DONE despite our adult ADD/slob-brain/or 48 years of failure in home-making! Thank you!!!
(My house is even freshly DUSTED, which is always the last item on my list of priorities!)