Dana K. White: Decluttering Tips for “the Rest of Us”

DECLUTTERING MADE EASY FOR THE NEW YEAR

Dana K. White is a blogger, podcaster, and (much to her own surprise) a decluttering expert. In an attempt to get her home under control, Dana started a blog called A Slob Comes Clean and soon realized she was not alone in her housekeeping struggles and feelings of shame. She’s sharing a few of her favorite doable decluttering tips from her brand-new book, Organizing for the Rest of Us.

Use Containers as Limits

I used to think containers were for putting things in. I knew organized people loved them, but when I put my stuff in containers, my house just looked junky. But a container’s purpose isn’t to hold stuff , it’s to contain that stuff . To serve as a limit. If I put my markers in a bucket and I have seventy-fi ve markers left over, I don’t need another bucket. I need to let the size of the bucket decide how many markers I can keep. When I look at it that way, my brain realizes, “Oh, I guess I don’t actually need 125 markers.”

Time Your Tasks

Time yourself doing the thing you put off doing. Get a reality-based understanding of how long it takes to do this thing instead of letting your mind exaggerate. I hate emptying the dishwasher and would’ve sworn it took at least fi fteen to twenty minutes. It doesn’t. It takes me about four minutes. It’s pretty hard to justify not emptying my dishwasher when I have four minutes available.

Use Laundry Tongs

This was a suggestion a blog reader made when I couldn’t reach the last sock in my washing machine (I had to stand on a stool and felt like I was going to topple headfi rst into it!). Now I keep a pair of tongs on a hook right by the dryer. Like with any kind of storage, get-to-ability is everything with spices. Lazy Susan turntables are the best solution I’ve found. With taller spice containers in the middle and shorter ones on the outside edges, I can see all my spices without rearranging anything. I turn until I fi nd what I need, and they’re easy to put back.

Store Your Food Containers with Lids On

This is my number one controversy-sparking tip. But hear me out! When you need to put leftovers away, you can pull an already-puttogether container and matching lid out of your cabinet without having to dig. I may not have as much room in the cabinet when I store food containers with lids on, but that’s a good thing: that means I have to actually eat the food in the fridge instead of shoving more and more to the back of the fridge (while the food turns fuzzy).

You can fi nd Dana’s book, Organizing for the Rest of Us, wherever books are sold.