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It’s not only a new year, but a new decade! With the excitement, are you ready and determined to declutter?? I’m talking about essential mindset changes that will help you make real progress as you work in your home.
For the month of January, 2020, the code JANUARY20 will take off $15, making the course $25.
Go here to get your copy of The 5 Day Clutter Shakedown!
--Nony
Dana,
Thank you for this podcast. Once again, so many specific things you said were aimed straight at ME! Absolutely, positively.
Here’s hoping that THIS TIME, I WILL make progress. LESS (in my house) is the goal, BETTER (than before) is the goal, PROGRESS (not perfection) is the goal.
I am definitely someone who feels (hopefully, felt!…past tense) that need for finding the “perfect and right” way to recycle, to donate, to give-this-item-to-a-good-home, a rescuer of “whatever,” (as Maddie said about her yarn in previous podcast).
I have been this way for as long as I can remember, though I didn’t grow up during the Depression, or have a childhood lacking in whatever I needed (or even wanted, often), so I really don’t know WHY I am this way. But the effect it has had on my house (I can’t even call it a “home”) for decades, through the growing-up years of my children (talk about guilt!),…it has to STOP.
I need to take these tools (that you have so graciously shared with all of us through your blog) and actually USE them. Find what works for ME, in MY home! And being someone who does NOT like cleaning and organizing, and it does NOT come naturally at all…you truly ARE a “Godsend,” Dana. So, thank you again.
Happy New Decade, Dana !
I want to thank you SO much ….
December 31 2019 I felt trapped and unmotivated, as I was being held hostage by the chaos inside my apartment. Every inch of it. It was so bad I didn’t like to open my door to leave my place while anyone was around, because they would be able to see the disaster area I lived in.
January 01 2020 I was blessed with the motivation to try, try again ! I went to Audible.ca as I was going to purchase a book about decluttering that only had 3 stars, from an organization whose “system” I wasn’t able to stick to before and found frustrating … doh ! However, there was a related book by someone I never heard of …YOU ! I purchased Declutter at the Speed of Life, and wearing my Bose QC35 wireless headset I listened as I started by washing the dishes and felt VERY encouraged when that was your recommendation ! BUT then you recommended your other book “How to Manage Your Home Without Losing Your Mind.” And I bought it, continued to listen as I cleaned.
I have chronic pain …my head wants to continue but the pain won’t allow me to over ride it. And then there are the perfectionist thoughts that cause me to become inert ….Your reflections on “why” you have fallen into the traps that interfere with getting cleared/cleaned and maintaining it, have helped me recognize and counter my thoughts and allowed me to get out of the way and continue to clear the chaos….At this stage, the biggest thing has been to focus mainly on what is visible, and not allowing myself to go down the rabbit hole of doing it perfectly has been the best gift ever.
Today is day 4 …and by day 5, I will have zero issues with people’s ability to glance in as I open my apartment door ….This is a serious relief as I live in front of the elevator bank of 3, on my floor !
Day 5 is the Lord’s day ….a day of rest except for cooking and dishes. Day 6 will begin my last week of vacation before I return to my full time job, and I am devoting it to the places visible to those stepping into my apartment, making each container and it’s sub containers functional.
My new best friend is Value Village’s donation station 🙂
I know it won’t be easy as I move into my bedroom where I have bag upon bag or paper, storage ….and the rest of the catch all I shove there but …. I feel hopeful in a way I haven’t for a long time …..and that alone feels like freedom.
You are an answer to a long suffering prayer !
God bless you
Debbie <3
Debbie, (and Dana)
You may not see this comment at all, but I just read your comment (to Dana) above (6 weeks after you wrote it), and didn’t know how else to possibly be in touch with you. I decided to take a chance and contact you here. 8 /
First, I wanted to see how you are doing? Dealing with chronic pain canNOT be easy, and I hope that you have many days where that pain is “much less”…AND that it will continue to improve.
Second, I wanted to say, Way To Go! 8 ) Reading what you were able to accomplish in those 1st few days was amazing. I feel like you needed to have a big cheering section, with balloons and confetti! Lol Seriously, you are my hero! Ok, one of them…but I don’t have very many! And yes, Dana is right at the top of the list! 8 )
So, sorry for another long comment, but as so many people have said through these past 10 years, it’s like Dana is inside my brain, thinking and saying so many things that have been rolling around in my mind, but I didn’t know how to express. And I have ALWAYS felt like something was wrong with ME because all of this is so difficult. But Dana breaks it down, helps me to look at things differently, helps me to see that even *I* can do this, and she does make me laugh, too. And I really don’t laugh a lot. 8 /
So, Debbie, I wanted YOU to know that YOUR comment was encouraging/inspiring, so thanks for posting it…and Dana, another thank you for doing what you do, being who you are, and allowing God to use you the way He wanted, with this “pretend” blog
8 ) (and your books and podcasts, of course!)
Always grateful,
Lisa