I don’t have much to say to introduce this one, other than that stories like this one make all of this crazy made-up job worthwhile. I’m so thankful for the hope I found and the hope others can find.
Hi Dana,
I’ve been mentally writing this email for the last year. 🙂I’ve known about your blog for many years and occasionally stopped by from time to time, but I always told myself that when I was “ready” I would sit down and read it systematically so I could learn everything the “right way” and change for good. (Ha!)A year ago I met a new friend who unexpectedly came over to my house (in all its Slob Glory) one day. I was mortified and wondering what she must think of me. Before she left, she invited us over for lunch at their house after church that Sunday. As we sat at her kitchen table a few days later, she confessed, “I never have people over, but when I saw what your house looked like the other day, I knew I could have you over at ours.” I mentioned your book to her and that I still hadn’t read the copy I’d owned for a year (or two?). She was intrigued and we decided right then that she would get a copy and we would read through it together. Neither of us thought it would really make a difference.We started texting each other every day with “Slob Reports” including pictures of every area in our houses. We sent each other quotes from your book and your blog. Over and over, we reminded each other, “The difference this time is that we aren’t giving up!” That was last November, I think. I’ll spare you most of the play-by-play (you’re welcome), but there are some things I think you should know:Until I met my friend (and you through your book) I had never known another Slob. Everyone else I know is Normal. As I read through each chapter, I laughed (a lot) and cried (occasionally) and nodded enthusiastically because someone finally “gets” me and, not only that, but she’s actually successful at this whole Deslobification thing!Dana, you gave me hope. I’m not just talking about “hope that there will be clean underwear in my drawer” (which there is, thanks to you), but real, fearlessly-moving-forward-with-my-life hope. (Nutshell Back Story: My husband left us 6 years ago, when I was pregnant with our 4th child. It’s been a rough ride, but I’m so thankful for how our family has seen Jesus’ sufficiency in such tangible ways.)For the first time in my life, I feel like a capable adult and I am enjoying the freedom to pursue projects (like freezer batch cooking, and teaching theater, and homeschooling my kids, and being in a play with all of them and . . . life) that would never have been possible, much less relatively stress-free before my Deslobification journey.My house still has days (and occasional weeks) of being in Disaster Status, but now I know where to start when it’s time to get things back under control. Speaking of…I need to go do the dishes now. 🙂THANK YOU.
This is a perfect example of how you have helped to many of us, Dana. We all have our back stories, and how we came to discover you and your deslobification ways. You are our inspiration!!! Thank you!
Love the pictures, because they look so much like my house. Love the actionable steps, because they help me see the way through all the stuff. Love the encouragement, because it helps me get started and keep going: one item, one step at a time.
Love this.
Here’s an analysis for you:
You’re sitting in a darkened room watching a scary, scary movie…the ominous music is growing, Growing, GROWING….and BAM! From behind you in the shadows OUT JUMPS the creepy, stalking, bad guy! You SCREEEEAAAAAM and pop your feet up under your bum and pull the covers over your face. Just then….someone flicks the LIGHT ON……AND ALL FEARS DISPEL.
yeah….that’s what the life of a slobber is like until the AH HA! moment of reading your books. The clutter cree eee eeeeps up on you, slowly, slowly, slowly until you hit your hip on the desk piled with papers, pictures and laundry (I have a digital scale on my desk right now…haha- kinda funny- but that’s actually where I keep it) …and BAM! The CLUTTER-MAN JUMPS OUT AT YOU and you suddenly realize just how badly your entire house looks…you SCREE EAAM! because you know it’ll will either KILL you immediately or you will die a slow, painful death from suffocation…and your family will, too. And then FLICK! Someone turns on the light and says, “Okay, now that I got your attention, go wash the dishes.”
And you’re like, with perspiration dripping off of your pale face, “Oh. Oh! Okay, yeah, I’ll go wash the dishes! yeah….I’ll simply start there. Think how happy people will be to have a clean dish! Yeah…I’ll go wash the dishes….but I’ll keep the LIGHTS on and lock the kitchen door behind.”
Dear Dana,
thank you so much for sharing stories like this one. Reading your blog and listening to your podcasts makes me feel less alone with my struggles. I can totally relate and I LOVE your methods.
Unfortunately, many “normal” people around me don’t understand and keep telling me that someone of my age/intelligence/education/… shouldn’t be struggling with household chores. Total bullsh*t! You and other people around here prove that being a slob doesn’t mean you are stupid, uneducated or immature.
You taught me self-acceptance and effective methods to deal with my slobbish ways. Many thanks for that!
I’ve done pretty well
Myself ie alone (thanks to you and realizing I’m not the only one)
But it would be really nice to connect with this kind of friend. Who understands how our minds work and help
Each other out…
Dear Dana and readers, thanks for the hope you give. I’m in my 70’s and STILL fighting the “why can’t I keep my house under control?” ogre. My biggest challenges are paper (stacks and stacks and BOXES of it), clothes and books. But after reading your blog posts, I am holding on to hope that SOMEDAY, I will get a handle on it all. And, yes, I need to go do the dishes…
But first – a couple of situations that have contributed to my discouragement:
In our 1st house, my close neighbor and dear friend was a HOME EC major. She kept her house in order in spite of having 4 children 5 and under. I couldn’t manage to do that with just 1.
In our current house, my next door neighbor keeps her house like a museum. She is a professional ORGANIZER! Being around these 2 ladies just made me feel like more of a failure. But you have given me hope, and the tools to succeed.