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Mama Knows

Practical Steps to Tackle Clutter w/ Dana K White

Jan 28, 2025
42:22

In this conversation, Nina and Dana K White discuss the challenges of decluttering and organizing homes, particularly from the perspective of those who struggle with clutter. Dana shares her journey from being messy to teaching others how to declutter effectively, emphasizing the importance of separating decluttering from organizing. They explore the mindset shifts needed to tackle clutter, the common traits of those who struggle with it, and practical tips for starting the decluttering process in a manageable way. In this conversation, Dana K White shares her insights on decluttering and organization, emphasizing the importance of embracing progress over perfection. She discusses the emotional attachments people have to items and provides practical questions to help with the decluttering process. Dana introduces the concept of containers as limits for belongings and explains how to determine what to keep based on available space. She also addresses maintaining organization by understanding individual clutter thresholds and offers strategies for effective home management.


00:00: The Journey to Decluttering

06:23: Understanding Clutter and Its Causes

11:12: The Mindset Shift: Decluttering vs. Organizing

16:20: Starting the Decluttering Process

20:21: Making Progress in Small Steps

21:06: Embracing Progress Over Perfection

22:40: Navigating Emotional Attachments to Items

23:47: Practical Decluttering Questions

27:08: Understanding the Concept of Containers

30:21: Determining What to Keep

34:03: Maintaining Organization and Clutter Thresholds


Dana K. White is the creator of the No Mess Decluttering Method and (much to her own surprise) a Decluttering Expert. Dana shares realistic home management strategies and a message of hope for the hopelessly messy in her books: Organizing for the Rest of Us, Decluttering at the Speed of Life (a Wall Street Journal bestseller), and How to Manage Your Home Without Losing Your Mind. Dana teaches her strategies through her blog, podcast, and videos at ASlobComesClean.com and trains coaches in her unique decluttering process at DeclutteringCoaches.com.

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