I normally don't comment videos, because I am pretty busy mom with three small kids, so I try to save my time as much as I can. But I really wanted to thank you for this video. I got here from Clutterbug, which I've been loving for years. So it was 11 pm, I was already in bed, and I just wanted to turn on some video to fall asleep faster, I often do that. So I clicked this video ( to fall asleep) and after listening to it I went back to the kitchen and loaded my dishwasher ( in my pajamas) 😆 instead of falling to sleep. Thank you so much! We recently remodeled our kitchen. My husband is the best in the world, he bought me the kitchen I wanted- contemporary, with slide out shelves, grey cabinets with golden pulls and knobs and white marble-like quartz countertop, which makes it look gorgeous. But because of all the dishes and stuff in the kitchen you could hardly tell there's a gorgeous countertop beneath it all. And, man, I felt guilty for that, because my husband deserves to come to clean home after hard day of work. ( He never nagged me about that though, he is the best 😍) It's been a week since I watched your video, and the whole week my countertop is empty. I love it!!! Not only my kitchen is clean, it actually saves me so much time!!! I never thought it would. Unloading the dishwasher right away is like a life-saver, I never thought it could be. Now after meals I put the dishes directly into the dishwasher, and it's like doing one job instead of two. Plus my sink doesn't get gunked up every single day, so Im saving time on washing the sink ( it has racks, so washing the sink with the racks is a bit time consuming). Now I have time to do something else in the house, because my kitchen is always clean. My, I'm soooo happy 😁. Thank you again!
I start making dinner with a sink of soapy water, as I dirty something I wash it right away and put it to drain, make the plates and put the extra in containers before we sit down ( say no to seconds lol ) then put the pots to soak in the water while we eat, when we’re done it’s pretty quick washing the last few things, dry it all and put away. It’s so much easier than trashing the kitchen and having to face it when your full and just want to relax on the sofa.
I try to do this as I cook too. Really made a difference when it comes to cleaning up after the meal! So much faster- especially as we have three kids to get ready for bed.
My mother always told us that if you do the dishes and make your bed, half of your housework is done. I never, ever, have dirty dishes! It drives me crazy to see dirty dishes in my sink!
I cannot tell you how much I appreciate you simplifying this because I’m so depressed and ADHD and behind on my cleaning that I am overwhelmed and don’t even know where to begin so I love this. Great motivator and place to start!!
I have been in a motivational slump for longer than I care to mention. So stuck. So MUCH to do. Along comes Dana in my algorithms and says, from three years ago, "Just wash your dishes" I have done the dishes. Tomorrow I will do them again Thank you x
I'm on day 9 of Dana's 28-day program, and I am loving what I see happening in my house! I've been focusing on doing my dishes and sweeping my kitchen floor thus far, which is marvelous, BUT both of my bathrooms are now sparkling clean and my dining room is decluttered and clean. I'm thrilled. The first day-day 1-it took me 40 minutes to do my dishes. The second day: 4 minutes! (My twins just headed off to college this year, so I am a new empty nester.)
an empty nester how many dishes could you have used 40 minutes u must have cleaned the kitchen I recycle but one of the luxuries that I have is I buy paper plates but there are 10 of us in my house so it saves me so much work👍🏻
Storing plastic food containers with lids on changes everything! A benefit I found is that less food goes to waste! When I run out of leftovers container, I know it's time to stop cooking meals and we can have a leftover night. Since I'm limited on containers I know we have to serve/eat leftovers for lunch within a few days so I have a container for more leftovers. Just today I was re-evaluating my glass containers and found a Pyrex bowl that I haven't used in years, and a glass lid that fits nothing I own! Those went in my Donate Box. Having a dedicated Donate Box changes everything, too! This year is the first time in my life I've actually donated anything, ever, instead of just dumping it in the trash and it going in a landfill!
😂 Over the last few years, my dad started reading a lot of books. Come to find out, he was just throwing them away after he got done with them! My never-pitch-anything mom couldn’t have that and started a huge pile and gave them to people. I thought it was hilarious (for lack of a better word) that the solution was to throw them away and not take them to goodwill or something! 🤦🏼♀️
I take hangars into the laundry room and hang things up right out of the dryer. Rest goes into a laundry basket, taken into the bedrooms and gets folded right into the drawers. Done!
That made me laugh - some people just can’t imagine having more dishes than fit in their cupboard - this is not the channel for you. 😂😂 I’m looking over on my dining room counter and it’s stacked with bowls, casserole dishes, platters, etc. because I don’t have room in my dining room cupboards. 🤯
We live in a condo (small space) so we have a closet downstairs that we designate as “the annex” where we put the overflow from the kitchen: serving dishes, special use pans, etc.
I've started recently to make sure to stack the dishwasher and wash the dishes, clean the counter and all that stuff prior to going to bed at night; it makes a HUGE difference when you wake up each morning and head for the coffee pot. It's like AAAAAaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhh. Lol! Love your advice and am so proud of you.
My mother would never go to bed without having the dishes done. I do the same as soon as dinner is done I immediately do the dishes. I let them air dry for a half hour then go back and put them away. I have a dish washer but still do them by hand. (just 2 of us)
Growing up, NO one was allowed to go to bed if there was dishes in the sink. My Mom never worked hard on housework. She did her laundry and cleaned her house the same day, once a week. Bathroom got sprayed with Clorox, wait 30 minutes rinse, no scrubbing necessary, every morning. You don’t need a lot of cleaning supplies, all you need is...Clorox, vinegar, alcohol, Bon Ami, laundry soap, dryer sheets. You got stink clothes, 1 cup of vinegar in your wash. Bon Ami is the best cleanser for stubborn stains/grease. Do not use plastic containers, use glass. Glass has multiple uses. People who like to display nik naks, use nice serving bowls, platters, things that has uses for. Do not make a donate spot in your house, put a bin in the trunk of your car, you can donate immediately without being tempted to take it back. When trying to declutter your home, do it with a friend. They will help you get rid of your junk, because they’re looking at it differently than you.
I have been working on Decluttering for ages.. I am getting better and the home is looking better. I promise, it has been taking me ages, but it is better in the last 6 months than it has in months. I am a recovering Cancer survivor. That really took the wind out of my sails. That was 5 years ago... it is taking me a long time to pull my self together. And that is OK... it will be all OK. I have purged my kitchen, and closet and dresser. I have more to do but I am feeling pretty good right now. It is all good. And I will be far more successful in the near future.
Dishes math? Who knew! Dawn from over at The Minimal Mom suggested you and I am so glad she did! I can't wait to hear more from you. Thanks for taking the time to put this out there.
I totally get it,im chronically ill when my 3children were ill at one point I had something like 14 dinner plates for a family if 5, it helped me keep my sanity we could eat meals, sometimes I was to ill to get the dishwasher loaded! Then & now I wake up exhausted. Just life for me. Now children are grown its just me and I only have 8 plates in the cupboard dishes are done every night after dinner !!😄👍🏻way less stress.
Oh my! I really saw myself in this one. Yes, I keep using more dishes (and silverware!) rather than washing every day and then when I am totally out of dishes and silverware, I finally break down and wash them all. Huge job at that point. Thanks, Dana.
Dana, I'm so excited to see that you have videos on TH-cam! I just want to tell you how much I appreciate and admire you!! In the past, I read SO many articles and books and listened to so many professionals to help me declutter and / or organize, but they all fell short. Then I "read" both of your books (via audiobooks) and they absolutely changed my way of thinking and, ultimately, changed my life!! Your well-laid-out procedures to declutter and your concept of "containers" were exactly what I needed. Sending you big thanks ... and now I'll check out the rest of your videos!!
I love your ideas I have your audiobook Purchased this morning Right now this video is too advanced for me Because I don’t need to do the dishes I have been eating out Right now it’s reclaim the space
I have a cabinet that holds containers, mason jars, etc.. directly behind you when you close that cabinet is an island containing a 13”x13” rattan basket which contains allll the lids. This works very well for us. I pull the basket out and set it on the island, find the lid, and plop it back in place in a matter of 30 seconds tops.
Adjust your number of items to fit your storage containers? Some of us just don't have enough containers and we MUST get more, even when we don't have much stuff. Store containers with their lids on? My house is already small. I don't have the space to store containers with their lids on! And putting on an airtight lid almost guarantees a musty smell in the container after even a shortish time.
We lost our kitchen island when we moved. Therefore, we don't have as much storage space for food storage containers...I finally resolved to having 3-4 Lock and Lock (my very favorite) WITH THE LIDS " ON". IT DOES make a difference! I also did this for my father when I deep cleaned his kitchen. I don't think he had gone thru the storage containers since my mother passed 4 years, ago. It was dramatic change to this drawer....I felt a little guilty so I gave him a Lock and Lock storage container that I happened to bring with me....he was able to find a food storage container that happened to have a "matching lid"...in a split second...since it was attached to the container....by the way he has Macula Degeneration in both eyes....this system was a WIN-WIN!😀😀😀
Focal point of the room is the " bed" i always suggest if you dont know where to start on your room. START the bed. Just make the bed start clockwise to declutter the room. Sort things in Catergories. Lastly, remember everything should have a home and if you have too much of anything, think of downsizing
I also noticed that when you always do the dishes, you can only now use so much before you have to wash them since you have no others because you got rid of them. You are forced to wash them often. That’s how the cycle becomes efficient.
I wanted to share the system I have for making sure my containers/lids are completely dry before assembling them. After the lid/container is washed, I shake out any excess water, then put it in my cupboard (separately, not assembled). When I put my dishes away the next day-I assemble the containers from the previous day. This has worked pretty well for me for many many months. If I skip a few days or even longer-because I have simplified-it takes literally a few minutes to catch up. Hope this helps 😊
We are a family of 10 so the dishes math is exponential!! We have been working on this and it’s AMAZING the difference!! Washing 2-3 times a day, eliminating extra items, etc.
Omg. I love you already!! Just found you through Dawn's channel...and you just telling me to do my dishes....my house is out of control and I am desperate for help....I am glad I found more cheerleaders. My mental health is not good because of the clutter.
Got both books followed all five tips even though I could not see how Tupperware tip would work. Big game changers....your books are funny and helpful.
Great video!!! My donate spot is in the back of my car ~ I might carry things for a couple of weeks but as soon as I need that space, Goodwill here I come! Thank you! I need to concentrate on my dishes too.
So glad to see a video from you again. I have enjoyed your books. You truly know how to communicate the problem and the solution. Thanks. Looking forward to more videos!
Hi Dana, I just found you. I always like because I know I get something out of every video I watch (and I know you guys work hard to make these videos). And I subscribed. I will be watching and learning. Thank You.
We decluttered dishes moving into our home - our family has grown since and I wish we had a couple more settings because it doesn’t matter how fast I do the dishes I always run out of dishes if we have a couple of guests
I don’t want to have to wait for my plastic containers to completely dry before putting them away- they would just wind up growing into a giant pile in my dish drainer. Instead, I have a plastic basket where I store the lids vertically. It’s easy to find any lid this way. When it fills up, I am at my limit for plastic storage containers. If a lid breaks, the container gets tossed along with it. Happy New Year to everyone.
Finished watching the video then went to do my dishes! Also put away a casserole dish that’s been on the counter for 4 days because I had to climb on a chair to do it. Literally took less then 15 seconds! 🤦🏼♀️
The donate thing : I need to find the place first because once I reorganized and put things in containers. I need the departing clutter gone for real. But we still have time on our side because this is lockdown again and everything is on hold
I will keep in mind to create a donate place with a permanent setting so it is easier to transit and I will add a repertory so I know number and address or contact. (maybe a cardholder above or a paper glued on the side) I am a bee 🐝 I’m visual and micro tasking.
I have a massive kitchen and also I’m a minimalist. Somehow my house is still out of control. I would never have more dishes than fit in my cabinets. I also don’t have mismatched dishes and while I do always have dishes to do, they all fit in my dishwasher so it’s never too long. However, my house is still out of control. Help me!
I don't store plastic containers with lids on. Plastic bowls will have an odor inside if they are closed. ewww . It is much easier to me to 'file" those Rubbermaid lids by size in a wire basket and stack bowls inside each other by size. Try it . Take a whiff inside that bowl.
Do the dishes works because it expands to "That only took 10 minutes. I'm going to spend the next 10 minutes cleaning more of the kitchen." After a couple months most of your house is clean and organized. It's like cleaning with compound interest.
I take a long time to do the dishes, so one typical day's worth of dishes takes an hour for me consistently. Hubby doesn't understand why I use the dishwasher. 🤷
Anyone else find that there is no way to binge watch these videos? Or the videos from The Minimal Mom or Clutterbug? One, maybe two videos, and I have to get up and go do some de-cluttering (or dishes after this one!). I'm so happy to have found these videos and the motivation they provide. Thank you Dana!
I've been in my house for 27 years. For 26 of those years, my complete everyday dish set for eight was neatly stowed on a convenient shelf near the sink. Good organization, huh? Except for one thing: I never use the dinner plates, which were hogging a good portion of the real estate, while the large bowls I actually use were up above where it was awkward, even dangerous, for me to stack and unstack them. About a year ago, the light bulb lit. I moved the dinner plates somewhere else and replaced them with the large bowls. Also replaced some of the coffee cups with the mugs I prefer. NOW I'm organized, at least in that one crucial spot. Yes, little things make a big difference!
Same! I moved my outdoor recycle bin so it's within arms' length of the fence to the backyard. I check the mail and immediately walk down to the other end of the driveway to toss everything that doesn't need to come inside.
I am fascinated by the amount of dishes she had. There were not enough cabinets to store all the clean dishes, but where were all the dirty dishes stored until she ran out? I'm guessing its much like me and my clothes. Not all of my clothes are allowed to be clean at the same time, because there is not a sufficent away place. The clean laundry bin is a holding zone. The dirty clothes bin is a holding zone. The pile of worn once and can be worn again clothes is a holding zone. Why am I holding on to so many things? The idea of declutter dishes until they all fit in the cabinet also applies to clothes in the closet, socks in the drawer, toys in the toy bin, books on the bookshelf, etc... Oof.
I’m not exaggerating when I say that your first book has changed my life! I used to completely empty a space (cupboard, drawer, whatever) that needed decluttering, sort the contents into piles, then get distracted and the piles of stuff would become ‘normal’ and the empty space would fill up with even more stuff! 🙈 Not any more! I can’t put into words the difference you have made to our home. Thank you! 😘 (We live in the UK, or I would be at all your events!) xx
That is awesome! I listened to decluttering at the speed of life. I got the audiobook from the library. I read the other one as an ebook from the library. I listen to her podcast and have joined her patreon community. The change in my home, and me, is amazing
Rewatching this months later, Dishes math is Real but so is LAUNDRY MATH! Now I know that when all of my clothes are clean, they don't fit in drawers & closet! Now I've got the declutter & donate bug!😁🐞
00:00 1 - Do the dishes 02:59 2 - Reduce the flow of paper coming into the house 03:34 3 - Declutter the dishes until they all fit inside the cabinets 06:14 4 - Store your food containers with the lids on 08:50 5 - Create a Donate spot - excellent ideas!
This is the very first video I’ve ever watched of yours. Cass from Clutterbug sent me and I’m typing this thru tear filled eyes. I’m not really sure why hearing you tell me to “just do the dishes” has made me so very emotional but it just makes so much sense. I think a lot of us feel completely & totally out of control and overwhelmed. The thought that just doing the dishes will put me closer to gaining back even just the smallest bit of control over my life in a time when there is so much uncertainty is just super powerful. Just bought your book & looking forward to learning more from you. ♥️
To me the kitchen is the centre of my house so when I'm cleaning or tidying I always start with my kitchen which means doing the dishes and wiping the counter tops. Doing this instantly gives me a good feeling about my house. Every time I walk thru that area I feel good. This creates a flow thru effect to clean or tidy the next room and so forth.
I think you have to tell yourself some things are non-negotiable. The only way I can keep my house clean is by going to bed with an empty dishwasher so everyone puts theirs in, in the morning. If there are clean dishes in the dishwasher, by noon my kitchen is wrecked. I have to make myself do it but when I do, my house stays clean.
I was touched by your response and wanted to reach out because you feel overwhelmed and out of control. An anxious state of mind can hold us hostage and prevent us from moving forward and getting things done. Having a solid hope for the future can help you with that. Knowing what the future holds and what you can do about it gives you some control over your life thereby relieving some anxiety. The Bible is a book of prophecy, beside other things, and tells us what the future holds. It main theme throughout is God’s Kingdom, or government, is and how we can become citizens of that government. It tells about the benefits of that Kingdom. For example, Revelation 21:3,4 says that God will turn his attention to the earth and replace the protection that he afforded Adam and Eve before they sinned. It says in vs 4 that “he will wipe every tear from their eyes, and death will be no nome, neither will mourning nor outcry nor pain be anymore. The former things have passed away.” Since these things do not happen in heaven it is reasonable to conclude that this scripture refers to the earth. Yes, paradise will be restored and survivors will live forever. John 17:3 tells us that we need to take in vital knowledge in order to live forever. On JW.org there is a wealth of Bible based material, videos, articles, publications, an interactive on-line Bible course, and section called Select a Topic of Interest. There is always timely information such as When Was Jesus Born and How to Beat Pandemic Fatigue. I hope you take advantage and hopefully it will help with the feelings you are experiencing. This one scripture has helped me so much. It is in 1 Peter 5:6,7 -“Humble yourself, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time, while your throw all your anxiety upon Him because He cares for you.” With that, don’t forget to do your dishes to!
I used to feel overwhelmed, then about 10 years ago I bought a book by "Fly Lady". She is hysterical. One line in the book says something like "If the First Lady of the US came to your door asking to use the restroom, would you tell her it's out of order because you don't want her to see the mess in your house??" I think FlyLady.net will be life-changing for you. She has daily, weekly, and monthly routines that provided the structure I needed to get a handle on my home. The hardest part for me is sticking to the schedule, but when I do...I feel so much more in control of my life. Best wishes!! You can do it😊 PS - I just looked and Fly Lady has a TH-cam channel...start with her "shiny sink" video.
Love the dishes math!! So true, not only because of the countertop shuffle, but also because it takes a lot more to scrub through days-old schmoo than that day's.
The kitchen....I love cooking when theres no dishes. All the pans are available for use. I dont have to dig for items. I have two dish sets in its own cabinet. Ive stopped buying plastic dishes and cups. I dont even buy paper plates to help me caught up. I dont buy paper towels. I have a bucket under the sink of clean rags. I have a designated coffee station. The cabinet above with all the mugs and coffee travel cups. I like to open it just to stare at it. Just my keriug with the kpods on the counter. The drawer just below, my husband's tea drawer.
I have stored my containers with the lids on for years as well. My challenge is that my octogenarian mother now lives with me and we argue endlessly about the amount of space I waste. Of course, de-cluttering is a totally foreign concept to her so she "needs" more space. Getting rid of anything is a battle!
I resisted and paid the price. Two of the 11 cup pyrex containers I was using every week got STUCK and I mean stuck. Ironically I was worried that the containers I use for company and the holidays would have to be sacrificed. They actually all fit. I just have to keep the large seasonal ones in the back. It took the slap in the face to realize it wasn't going to have a drawback. Although i was prepared to get rid of the circular containers if need be. But km glad to have them for things that need to be stirred or for soups etc.
Do the dishes. Just to add to that. I was married 18 years to my first husband who died of cancer. He was a great guy but to him it was women's work. After working all day, then cooking dinner, I would usually spend the evening with him watching tv. Dreading having to do them, often at bedtime I would have to stay up later washing them with dried on food. My second husband is great, he is happy to help. Having a helper is great but that is not my point. He taught me to get them done immediately after dinner no matter what. Then they are done and we can enjoy our evening without having to dread doing that chore.
Or be “radical” and distribute the chores in your family without referring to gender. You work all day, you cook, then someone else can do the dishes, even (gasp) if he is a man.
I've been focussing on doing the dishes and the laundry, and it has been amazing how I now see little things that I can let go without any guilt or stress of 'what if'. My daily mantra at the moment:"Do the dishes; do the laundry..." 😁
So true! When I feel overwhelmed, I set a goal to just do dishes and laundry, and one other thing. Then, at least I've done something! It is unrealistic for me personally to set the goal of having every single dish dried and put away. My routine is to have the dishwasher loaded to run at night, and have everything else hand washed and in the drying rack to put away next day. Same with laundry. I do one load a day and it rarely gets overwhelming. No matter what, there is new laundry to wash every day, so it is unrealistic to ever try to get all laundry clean at once. Putting that type of pressure on oneself is what causes people to lose their temper and say nasty things to whoever creates the first piece of dirty laundry after everything is clean.
When my kids were little, each night before going to bed, I’d start the dishes and a load of laundry, and move the laundry that had been in the washer into the drier. I felt so good going to sleep while my work was getting done! First thing in the morning, I’d move the laundry into the drier, and put another load into the washer.
I listen to you so much while cleaning that hearing it, makes my brain thing its time to get up and get started! hahah Watching a video has jumbled my brain! Thanks for making my house look "similar" to normal peoples!!! I am HUGE fan of your journey! If y'all haven't listened to her podcast, DO IT!!! It has changed the way my brain works!
Today - September 18, 2021 - I dropped what I was doing, took a donate box to my kitchen, took all my plastic food storage containers out of the cabinet, put their lids on them, put "just enough" back in the shelf, and put all the rest in the donate box and took it to my car. Thank you, Dana!
I have your books and loved them read them twice... ahh I love cas from clutter bug,and minimal mum wow you guys are all friends. I feel like I'm in the cool club xx
Thank you for this video, I actually enjoy decluttering and have never done it the standard 'drag it all out' way. The first time I saw a video of yours, I saw you NOT dragging everything out and you said do the dishes, I was hooked. Even on my bad days, the days that I can barely function, I still manage to do the dishes.
I put “did the dishes” on a habit tracker app and it turns out my fave dishes balance is 2x per day. It goes so fast that way and is totally reasonable. I use the app Done but there are plenty... it helped me start the habit until I was in the groove. Now I can’t go more than 1 day without doing them b/c of dishes math. Week 2-3 really put it in perspective. Yes yes yes with lids on storage!
Dana, I am listening to both of your books, AGAIN, and they are changing my life AGAIN. You speak my language like no one else. Thank you. I love you. I thank God for you in my prayers. I'm not even kidding.
I think this is the third or fourth video of yours that I've watched, and I subscribed. Out of all the decluttering videos I've watched in my life -- and that's a lot of videos -- your videos are the most helpful, practical, and inspiring I've ever seen.
I thought I was pretty organized but some how always had mismatched containers. Then I learned from Dawn that she puts the lids on. Wow that really does work. One cute wire basket holds them all.
Ok,, I got Do your dishes. That made sense. But the other four could not possibly have a big impact…. Or so I thought until I introduced them one at a time. After a month, my best friend said, I am so glad you finally broke down and hired a cleaner. Been following your recommendations for over a year. The impact was mind boggling! Thank you, Dana
Why I don't focus on cleaning?? Lazyiness tiredness stress! I think my anxiety is bad because it always wanting a clean house. But don't motivate myself
I understand. It can become a vicious cycle. We want a clean house but for some of the reasons you mentioned it doesn't always happen, also health issue and pain is partly my reason. And then we get anxious because it's all too much but we hate seeing it but motivation is low to work on it. I think it can be partly a type of depression too as to why the motivation isn't there. I am doing better these days because I keep pushing myself. I use commercials on TV as a time to get up and do something. Anything. It's surprising what we can get done during 5 or 6 minutes. Can put dishes away, wipe a counter, throw away trash etc. Try and make small goals for yourself. A little bit at a time. You're not alone. Take some of the tips from these videos, there are so many helpful decluttering videos. Have you watched "hoarders" or "hoarding. buried alive" ? Watch some of those shows. They're on TH-cam. And I guarantee those shows can motivate you to do a little bit of tidying up and cleaning. We don't want to reach that level of mess. Good luck.
I do all the things you mentioned. I have another one that was a game-changer for me. If you have a dishwasher empty it first thing in the morning. I still hate doing it but the reward is I have a cup of coffee waiting for me when I finish this onerous task. Then I have a place to put dirty dishes all day to keep the kitchen tidy. I don’t like getting up in the morning so I am still half asleep while I am doing it and that helps me stay numb to it.
Also, if you ever set a timer for how long it takes to unload the dishwasher, you’ll discover it only takes 4 to 5 min. If even that! You can stand to do almost Anything for under 5 min!
Yes! This was a game changer for me when I finally figured it out. For us, emptying the dishwasher after breakfast is the kid’s morning chore. One does plastic, one does glass, the other does silverware. And of course we rotate the days for those so there’s no fighting. Takes two minutes now that they’re good at it.
My memory of my grandmas home is that there were always lots of people about and after a meal before ANYTHING ELSE the dishes and clean up were done. Then we all relaxed. I have no memory of mess or disorder in that house dispite all the visitors. It never felt stiff or formal in that home. All were relaxed, but it was simply dishes first. It was never spoken just done.
Because of this lockdown, we don’t eat out AT ALL anymore. Hubby and I are running the dishwasher just about every other day and I’m always hand washing my nicer pots and pans. But we’ve gotten into a great rythym!
I’ve recently listed to a couple of your books on audible. I love them! I love your style. I also really like that you’ve narrated your own books. Life has been crazy with four kids. I got lax on doing dishes daily. So I’ve been focusing on doing those dishes every day, and it really does make a huge difference.
I normally don't comment videos, because I am pretty busy mom with three small kids, so I try to save my time as much as I can. But I really wanted to thank you for this video. I got here from Clutterbug, which I've been loving for years. So it was 11 pm, I was already in bed, and I just wanted to turn on some video to fall asleep faster, I often do that. So I clicked this video ( to fall asleep) and after listening to it I went back to the kitchen and loaded my dishwasher ( in my pajamas) 😆 instead of falling to sleep. Thank you so much! We recently remodeled our kitchen. My husband is the best in the world, he bought me the kitchen I wanted- contemporary, with slide out shelves, grey cabinets with golden pulls and knobs and white marble-like quartz countertop, which makes it look gorgeous. But because of all the dishes and stuff in the kitchen you could hardly tell there's a gorgeous countertop beneath it all. And, man, I felt guilty for that, because my husband deserves to come to clean home after hard day of work. ( He never nagged me about that though, he is the best 😍) It's been a week since I watched your video, and the whole week my countertop is empty. I love it!!! Not only my kitchen is clean, it actually saves me so much time!!! I never thought it would. Unloading the dishwasher right away is like a life-saver, I never thought it could be. Now after meals I put the dishes directly into the dishwasher, and it's like doing one job instead of two. Plus my sink doesn't get gunked up every single day, so Im saving time on washing the sink ( it has racks, so washing the sink with the racks is a bit time consuming). Now I have time to do something else in the house, because my kitchen is always clean. My, I'm soooo happy 😁. Thank you again!
I start making dinner with a sink of soapy water, as I dirty something I wash it right away and put it to drain, make the plates and put the extra in containers before we sit down ( say no to seconds lol ) then put the pots to soak in the water while we eat, when we’re done it’s pretty quick washing the last few things, dry it all and put away. It’s so much easier than trashing the kitchen and having to face it when your full and just want to relax on the sofa.
I try to do this as I cook too. Really made a difference when it comes to cleaning up after the meal! So much faster- especially as we have three kids to get ready for bed.
Genius! I mean I clean as I go but putting extra in containers and soaking pots etc takes it even farther.
My serving dishes are glass pyrex with lids which are also my fridge storage dishes as I don't even own plastic
Great advice! I will try this today!!
This is genius
My mother always told us that if you do the dishes and make your bed, half of your housework is done. I never, ever, have dirty dishes! It drives me crazy to see dirty dishes in my sink!
I cannot tell you how much I appreciate you simplifying this because I’m so depressed and ADHD and behind on my cleaning that I am overwhelmed and don’t even know where to begin so I love this. Great motivator and place to start!!
@I I "Never leave the room empty-handed" is a great tip!
Came to your channel through Dawn at the Minimal Mom channel. You are so awesome and motivating!!!
That’s how I got here too! I love Dawn!
I got here through Dawn too. 🙂🙋♀️
Me too!
I go to buy your books. Only Amazon. Not in Netherlands as a book. I don't have a creditcard and i don't want one. But i really want your books.
SAME !
I have been in a motivational slump for longer than I care to mention. So stuck. So MUCH to do.
Along comes Dana in my algorithms and says, from three years ago, "Just wash your dishes"
I have done the dishes. Tomorrow I will do them again
Thank you x
I'm on day 9 of Dana's 28-day program, and I am loving what I see happening in my house! I've been focusing on doing my dishes and sweeping my kitchen floor thus far, which is marvelous, BUT both of my bathrooms are now sparkling clean and my dining room is decluttered and clean. I'm thrilled. The first day-day 1-it took me 40 minutes to do my dishes. The second day: 4 minutes! (My twins just headed off to college this year, so I am a new empty nester.)
40 min isn't that bad!
an empty nester how many dishes could you have used
40 minutes u must have cleaned the kitchen
I recycle but one of the luxuries that I have is I buy paper plates but there are 10 of us in my house so it saves me so much work👍🏻
Storing plastic food containers with lids on changes everything! A benefit I found is that less food goes to waste! When I run out of leftovers container, I know it's time to stop cooking meals and we can have a leftover night. Since I'm limited on containers I know we have to serve/eat leftovers for lunch within a few days so I have a container for more leftovers.
Just today I was re-evaluating my glass containers and found a Pyrex bowl that I haven't used in years, and a glass lid that fits nothing I own! Those went in my Donate Box. Having a dedicated Donate Box changes everything, too! This year is the first time in my life I've actually donated anything, ever, instead of just dumping it in the trash and it going in a landfill!
That's great you are donating now 👏💕
😂 Over the last few years, my dad started reading a lot of books. Come to find out, he was just throwing them away after he got done with them! My never-pitch-anything mom couldn’t have that and started a huge pile and gave them to people. I thought it was hilarious (for lack of a better word) that the solution was to throw them away and not take them to goodwill or something! 🤦🏼♀️
Getting rid of dishes helped SO much.
I take hangars into the laundry room and hang things up right out of the dryer. Rest goes into a laundry basket, taken into the bedrooms and gets folded right into the drawers. Done!
Ok, I never thought of this one- To take the clothes fresh from the dryer and fold directly into the drawers sounds like a huge time saver!
That is helpful! Thank you!
That made me laugh - some people just can’t imagine having more dishes than fit in their cupboard - this is not the channel for you. 😂😂 I’m looking over on my dining room counter and it’s stacked with bowls, casserole dishes, platters, etc. because I don’t have room in my dining room cupboards. 🤯
When I started with her process I had to face exactly that. My dishes didn’t all fit in the cupboard if they were all clean.
We live in a condo (small space) so we have a closet downstairs that we designate as “the annex” where we put the overflow from the kitchen: serving dishes, special use pans, etc.
You have dining room cupboards? !!! LOL - I can't even imagine that!
I've started recently to make sure to stack the dishwasher and wash the dishes, clean the counter and all that stuff prior to going to bed at night; it makes a HUGE difference when you wake up each morning and head for the coffee pot. It's like AAAAAaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhh. Lol! Love your advice and am so proud of you.
My mother would never go to bed without having the dishes done. I do the same as soon as dinner is done I immediately do the dishes. I let them air dry for a half hour then go back and put them away. I have a dish washer but still do them by hand. (just 2 of us)
Growing up, NO one was allowed to go to bed if there was dishes in the sink. My Mom never worked hard on housework. She did her laundry and cleaned her house the same day, once a week. Bathroom got sprayed with Clorox, wait 30 minutes rinse, no scrubbing necessary, every morning. You don’t need a lot of cleaning supplies, all you need is...Clorox, vinegar, alcohol, Bon Ami, laundry soap, dryer sheets. You got stink clothes, 1 cup of vinegar in your wash. Bon Ami is the best cleanser for stubborn stains/grease. Do not use plastic containers, use glass. Glass has multiple uses. People who like to display nik naks, use nice serving bowls, platters, things that has uses for. Do not make a donate spot in your house, put a bin in the trunk of your car, you can donate immediately without being tempted to take it back. When trying to declutter your home, do it with a friend. They will help you get rid of your junk, because they’re looking at it differently than you.
I have been working on Decluttering for ages.. I am getting better and the home is looking better. I promise, it has been taking me ages, but it is better in the last 6 months than it has in months. I am a recovering Cancer survivor. That really took the wind out of my sails. That was 5 years ago... it is taking me a long time to pull my self together. And that is OK... it will be all OK. I have purged my kitchen, and closet and dresser. I have more to do but I am feeling pretty good right now. It is all good. And I will be far more successful in the near future.
Glad you are a cancer survivor. That's wonderful! Puts it all in perspective.
Dishes math? Who knew! Dawn from over at The Minimal Mom suggested you and I am so glad she did! I can't wait to hear more from you. Thanks for taking the time to put this out there.
I totally get it,im chronically ill when my 3children were ill at one point I had something like 14 dinner plates for a family if 5, it helped me keep my sanity we could eat meals, sometimes I was to ill to get the dishwasher loaded! Then & now I wake up exhausted. Just life for me. Now children are grown its just me and I only have 8 plates in the cupboard dishes are done every night after dinner !!😄👍🏻way less stress.
Oh my! I really saw myself in this one. Yes, I keep using more dishes (and silverware!) rather than washing every day and then when I am totally out of dishes and silverware, I finally break down and wash them all. Huge job at that point. Thanks, Dana.
Dana, I'm so excited to see that you have videos on TH-cam! I just want to tell you how much I appreciate and admire you!! In the past, I read SO many articles and books and listened to so many professionals to help me declutter and / or organize, but they all fell short. Then I "read" both of your books (via audiobooks) and they absolutely changed my way of thinking and, ultimately, changed my life!! Your well-laid-out procedures to declutter and your concept of "containers" were exactly what I needed. Sending you big thanks ... and now I'll check out the rest of your videos!!
I love your ideas I have your audiobook
Purchased this morning
Right now this video is too advanced for me
Because I don’t need to do the dishes
I have been eating out
Right now it’s reclaim the space
I’m gonna try the containers thing today. Dishes I’m lucky with, because my husband can’t seem to leave any dishes dirty (I know! Rough life!).
I have a cabinet that holds containers, mason jars, etc.. directly behind you when you close that cabinet is an island containing a 13”x13” rattan basket which contains allll the lids. This works very well for us. I pull the basket out and set it on the island, find the lid, and plop it back in place in a matter of 30 seconds tops.
I've come over from Clutter Bug and know I'm going to enjoy your videos!
Adjust your number of items to fit your storage containers? Some of us just don't have enough containers and we MUST get more, even when we don't have much stuff. Store containers with their lids on? My house is already small. I don't have the space to store containers with their lids on! And putting on an airtight lid almost guarantees a musty smell in the container after even a shortish time.
I do all these things expect for the donate spot....I'd never thought of that. What a brilliant, brilliant idea. Thank you 😊
We lost our kitchen island when we moved.
Therefore, we don't have as much storage space for food storage containers...I finally resolved to
having 3-4 Lock and Lock (my very favorite) WITH THE LIDS " ON".
IT DOES make a difference!
I also did this for my father when I deep cleaned his kitchen.
I don't think he had gone thru the storage containers since my mother passed 4 years, ago.
It was dramatic change to this drawer....I felt a little guilty so I gave him a Lock and Lock storage container that I happened to bring with me....he was able to find a food storage container that happened to have a "matching lid"...in a split second...since it was attached to the container....by the way he has Macula Degeneration in both eyes....this system was a WIN-WIN!😀😀😀
Focal point of the room is the " bed" i always suggest if you dont know where to start on your room. START the bed. Just make the bed start clockwise to declutter the room. Sort things in Catergories. Lastly, remember everything should have a home and if you have too much of anything, think of downsizing
I also noticed that when you always do the dishes, you can only now use so much before you have to wash them since you have no others because you got rid of them. You are forced to wash them often. That’s how the cycle becomes efficient.
I wanted to share the system I have for making sure my containers/lids are completely dry before assembling them. After the lid/container is washed, I shake out any excess water, then put it in my cupboard (separately, not assembled). When I put my dishes away the next day-I assemble the containers from the previous day. This has worked pretty well for me for many many months. If I skip a few days or even longer-because I have simplified-it takes literally a few minutes to catch up. Hope this helps 😊
We are a family of 10 so the dishes math is exponential!! We have been working on this and it’s AMAZING the difference!! Washing 2-3 times a day, eliminating extra items, etc.
I bought both of your books and they're already helping!You get me❤
Omg. I love you already!! Just found you through Dawn's channel...and you just telling me to do my dishes....my house is out of control and I am desperate for help....I am glad I found more cheerleaders. My mental health is not good because of the clutter.
I found u through the minimal mom and Cass clutter bug and I’m SO HAPPY I DID!!!!!
I'm new here but I love your sense of humor! I identify with you so much! Thanks for these videos!!
I LOLed - "This is not the channel for you" after "Who would have more dishes than they need. hahaha
Got both books followed all five tips even though I could not see how Tupperware tip would work. Big game changers....your books are funny and helpful.
Love all of your processes and use them all! They make so much sense to me!
Great video!!! My donate spot is in the back of my car ~ I might carry things for a couple of weeks but as soon as I need that space, Goodwill here I come! Thank you! I need to concentrate on my dishes too.
*Dishes Math* - ha! ♥️ *Love!*
#staywell everyone
💜
So glad to see a video from you again. I have enjoyed your books. You truly know how to communicate the problem and the solution. Thanks. Looking forward to more videos!
The Tupperware drawer is my 18mo favourite drawer. It's a constant challenge to keep it tidy. Maybe storing them together might do the trick...
Such great info and it works !!
Hi Dana, I just found you. I always like because I know I get something out of every video I watch (and I know you guys work hard to make these videos). And I subscribed. I will be watching and learning. Thank You.
Love the simplicity!
You were Polly Holiday’s character in the movie, ‘Kid in a can’!
We decluttered dishes moving into our home - our family has grown since and I wish we had a couple more settings because it doesn’t matter how fast I do the dishes I always run out of dishes if we have a couple of guests
I don’t want to have to wait for my plastic containers to completely dry before putting them away- they would just wind up growing into a giant pile in my dish drainer.
Instead, I have a plastic basket where I store the lids vertically. It’s easy to find any lid this way.
When it fills up, I am at my limit for plastic storage containers.
If a lid breaks, the container gets tossed along with it.
Happy New Year to everyone.
This is what I do, too. The lid basket works best for me!
I'm a great declutterer/minimalist. My husband the opposite, so it's a lost battle......
I can emphasize.
Finished watching the video then went to do my dishes! Also put away a casserole dish that’s been on the counter for 4 days because I had to climb on a chair to do it. Literally took less then 15 seconds! 🤦🏼♀️
The donate thing : I need to find the place first because once I reorganized and put things in containers.
I need the departing clutter gone for real.
But we still have time on our side because this is lockdown again and everything is on hold
I will keep in mind to create a donate place with a permanent setting so it is easier to transit and I will add a repertory so I know number and address or contact. (maybe a cardholder above or a paper glued on the side)
I am a bee 🐝 I’m visual and micro tasking.
So, I just saw this video 5 years after it was made. What was the sequel you mentioned?
I have to say that I love your hair at this length! You have amazing hair!
Jessica I agree!
I have a massive kitchen and also I’m a minimalist. Somehow my house is still out of control. I would never have more dishes than fit in my cabinets. I also don’t have mismatched dishes and while I do always have dishes to do, they all fit in my dishwasher so it’s never too long. However, my house is still out of control. Help me!
I don't store plastic containers with lids on. Plastic bowls will have an odor inside if they are closed. ewww . It is much easier to me to 'file" those Rubbermaid lids by size in a wire basket and stack bowls inside each other by size. Try it . Take a whiff inside that bowl.
Mine only smell if I don't let them fully dry before putting the lids on. If mine are totally dry then they don't stink at all.
My plastic containers don’t smell.
FlyLady! Shine your sink!
Shiny sink looks so clean!!
@@ginic7932 it’s totally a THING!!!
4 -😂😂😂😂😂 that’s my kind of fancy tech ❤️❤️
Do the dishes works because it expands to "That only took 10 minutes. I'm going to spend the next 10 minutes cleaning more of the kitchen." After a couple months most of your house is clean and organized. It's like cleaning with compound interest.
That is exactly why I put my containers away with lids. It causes anxiety for me to do it the other way.
I take a long time to do the dishes, so one typical day's worth of dishes takes an hour for me consistently. Hubby doesn't understand why I use the dishwasher. 🤷
Love you! Thank you for making me laugh. I can so relate.
Great 😊 tips
For me it’s my clothes- if I’ve done all my laundry my clothes don’t all fit nicely in our drawers
Anyone else find that there is no way to binge watch these videos? Or the videos from The Minimal Mom or Clutterbug? One, maybe two videos, and I have to get up and go do some de-cluttering (or dishes after this one!). I'm so happy to have found these videos and the motivation they provide. Thank you Dana!
I can binge watch, unfortunately, lol!
🤣 I can't binge, either, especially when I watch Kallie over on But First, Coffee. All of these ladies are so awesome!!
I listen while cleaning lol
Only when i watch late at night 😂. During the day i want to start decluttering immidiately,😅. The thriftstore loves me by now i guess 😂
I binge listen while working
After storing my containers with the lids on, I made cookies and filled up the containers that didn't fit and gave them away.
💜
Great idea!
Me too!
What a lovely idea!
💜👏
I've been in my house for 27 years. For 26 of those years, my complete everyday dish set for eight was neatly stowed on a convenient shelf near the sink. Good organization, huh? Except for one thing: I never use the dinner plates, which were hogging a good portion of the real estate, while the large bowls I actually use were up above where it was awkward, even dangerous, for me to stack and unstack them. About a year ago, the light bulb lit. I moved the dinner plates somewhere else and replaced them with the large bowls. Also replaced some of the coffee cups with the mugs I prefer. NOW I'm organized, at least in that one crucial spot. Yes, little things make a big difference!
Paper clutter - I go from my mailbox directly to the recycle tote and drop in what I can right then before it even comes in the house.
Yes! My PO now has a recycling bin next to my PO Box!
Same! I moved my outdoor recycle bin so it's within arms' length of the fence to the backyard. I check the mail and immediately walk down to the other end of the driveway to toss everything that doesn't need to come inside.
I am fascinated by the amount of dishes she had. There were not enough cabinets to store all the clean dishes, but where were all the dirty dishes stored until she ran out? I'm guessing its much like me and my clothes. Not all of my clothes are allowed to be clean at the same time, because there is not a sufficent away place. The clean laundry bin is a holding zone. The dirty clothes bin is a holding zone. The pile of worn once and can be worn again clothes is a holding zone. Why am I holding on to so many things? The idea of declutter dishes until they all fit in the cabinet also applies to clothes in the closet, socks in the drawer, toys in the toy bin, books on the bookshelf, etc... Oof.
I’m not exaggerating when I say that your first book has changed my life! I used to completely empty a space (cupboard, drawer, whatever) that needed decluttering, sort the contents into piles, then get distracted and the piles of stuff would become ‘normal’ and the empty space would fill up with even more stuff! 🙈 Not any more! I can’t put into words the difference you have made to our home. Thank you! 😘 (We live in the UK, or I would be at all your events!) xx
I HAD to pause this mid-way and go to my dishes. :)
That is awesome! I listened to decluttering at the speed of life. I got the audiobook from the library. I read the other one as an ebook from the library. I listen to her podcast and have joined her patreon community. The change in my home, and me, is amazing
Lol 😆 I was thinking of doing the same but decided to finish the video 😁
it's 3 am for me right now and I'm considering it... but I live in an apartment so I might just do them in the morning.
Truth!♡
😂🤣😂🤣
Rewatching this months later, Dishes math is Real but so is LAUNDRY MATH! Now I know that when all of my clothes are clean, they don't fit in drawers & closet! Now I've got the declutter & donate bug!😁🐞
00:00 1 - Do the dishes
02:59 2 - Reduce the flow of paper coming into the house
03:34 3 - Declutter the dishes until they all fit inside the cabinets
06:14 4 - Store your food containers with the lids on
08:50 5 - Create a Donate spot - excellent ideas!
This is so helpful.
Thank you 😊
👏👏👏👏thank you!!
Thank you!
Thanks
The part where you say, “...this is not the channel for you...”. 😂😂😂
🤣🤣🤣
Yes! That made me laugh!
I watched that part several times -- she's so funny!
This is the very first video I’ve ever watched of yours. Cass from Clutterbug sent me and I’m typing this thru tear filled eyes. I’m not really sure why hearing you tell me to “just do the dishes” has made me so very emotional but it just makes so much sense.
I think a lot of us feel completely & totally out of control and overwhelmed. The thought that just doing the dishes will put me closer to gaining back even just the smallest bit of control over my life in a time when there is so much uncertainty is just super powerful. Just bought your book & looking forward to learning more from you. ♥️
To me the kitchen is the centre of my house so when I'm cleaning or tidying I always start with my kitchen which means doing the dishes and wiping the counter tops. Doing this instantly gives me a good feeling about my house. Every time I walk thru that area I feel good. This creates a flow thru effect to clean or tidy the next room and so forth.
I think you have to tell yourself some things are non-negotiable. The only way I can keep my house clean is by going to bed with an empty dishwasher so everyone puts theirs in, in the morning. If there are clean dishes in the dishwasher, by noon my kitchen is wrecked. I have to make myself do it but when I do, my house stays clean.
I was touched by your response and wanted to reach out because you feel overwhelmed and out of control. An anxious state of mind can hold us hostage and prevent us from moving forward and getting things done. Having a solid hope for the future can help you with that. Knowing what the future holds and what you can do about it gives you some control over your life thereby relieving some anxiety. The Bible is a book of prophecy, beside other things, and tells us what the future holds. It main theme throughout is God’s Kingdom, or government, is and how we can become citizens of that government. It tells about the benefits of that Kingdom. For example, Revelation 21:3,4 says that God will turn his attention to the earth and replace the protection that he afforded Adam and Eve before they sinned. It says in vs 4 that “he will wipe every tear from their eyes, and death will be no nome, neither will mourning nor outcry nor pain be anymore. The former things have passed away.” Since these things do not happen in heaven it is reasonable to conclude that this scripture refers to the earth. Yes, paradise will be restored and survivors will live forever. John 17:3 tells us that we need to take in vital knowledge in order to live forever. On JW.org there is a wealth of Bible based material, videos, articles, publications, an interactive on-line Bible course, and section called Select a Topic of Interest. There is always timely information such as When Was Jesus Born and How to Beat Pandemic Fatigue. I hope you take advantage and hopefully it will help with the feelings you are experiencing. This one scripture has helped me so much. It is in 1 Peter 5:6,7 -“Humble yourself, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time, while your throw all your anxiety upon Him because He cares for you.” With that, don’t forget to do your dishes to!
I used to feel overwhelmed, then about 10 years ago I bought a book by "Fly Lady".
She is hysterical. One line in the book says something like "If the First Lady of the US came to your door asking to use the restroom, would you tell her it's out of order because you don't want her to see the mess in your house??"
I think FlyLady.net will be life-changing for you. She has daily, weekly, and monthly routines that provided the structure I needed to get a handle on my home. The hardest part for me is sticking to the schedule, but when I do...I feel so much more in control of my life.
Best wishes!! You can do it😊
PS - I just looked and Fly Lady has a TH-cam channel...start with her "shiny sink" video.
I just wanted to reach out because I hear the anxiety in your post. Feel free to contact me if you need a little support..
Oh my stars! Someone that can share that doesn't naturally love cleaning & organizing! She speaks my language! Just bought her book!
Yeah. Try also CleanMySpace. The woman who made the company hates cleaning
This lady is brilliant. Everything she says resonates 100%. She talks fast because she doesn't want to waste our time--I LOVE that!!!
Love the dishes math!! So true, not only because of the countertop shuffle, but also because it takes a lot more to scrub through days-old schmoo than that day's.
Exactly!
The kitchen....I love cooking when theres no dishes. All the pans are available for use. I dont have to dig for items. I have two dish sets in its own cabinet. Ive stopped buying plastic dishes and cups. I dont even buy paper plates to help me caught up. I dont buy paper towels. I have a bucket under the sink of clean rags. I have a designated coffee station. The cabinet above with all the mugs and coffee travel cups. I like to open it just to stare at it. Just my keriug with the kpods on the counter. The drawer just below, my husband's tea drawer.
I love cooking in a clean kitchen too. Then there are more dishes...sigh
I have been storing my left over containers with lids on for years with a little guilt but I am glad to be validated by you. It is so much easier
I have stored my containers with the lids on for years as well. My challenge is that my octogenarian mother now lives with me and we argue endlessly about the amount of space I waste. Of course, de-cluttering is a totally foreign concept to her so she "needs" more space. Getting rid of anything is a battle!
Me too
I resisted and paid the price. Two of the 11 cup pyrex containers I was using every week got STUCK and I mean stuck.
Ironically I was worried that the containers I use for company and the holidays would have to be sacrificed. They actually all fit. I just have to keep the large seasonal ones in the back. It took the slap in the face to realize it wasn't going to have a drawback. Although i was prepared to get rid of the circular containers if need be. But km glad to have them for things that need to be stirred or for soups etc.
Do your dishes. Love it 😊 I feel making my bed when I first get up helps start me off in a “I can do it!” mode.
Doing the dishes first really does help, BUT I loathe them even if it's only a couple. The first step is always the hardest.
So do I...sigh
Do the dishes. Just to add to that. I was married 18 years to my first husband who died of cancer. He was a great guy but to him it was women's work. After working all day, then cooking dinner, I would usually spend the evening with him watching tv. Dreading having to do them, often at bedtime I would have to stay up later washing them with dried on food. My second husband is great, he is happy to help. Having a helper is great but that is not my point. He taught me to get them done immediately after dinner no matter what. Then they are done and we can enjoy our evening without having to dread doing that chore.
@@rebeccarendle3706 Exactly. Very well said.
Or be “radical” and distribute the chores in your family without referring to gender. You work all day, you cook, then someone else can do the dishes, even (gasp) if he is a man.
@@BetaniaAllen I guess I didnt mention, my husband helps with the dishes, cleans the bathrooms and does his share of the housework
I have four kids. Two help with supper preparation, the two other do the dishes. Problem solved!
My husband has got me in the habit of having a clean sink before we go to bed! We both get the kitchen clean within 15-20 minutes after eating!
I've been focussing on doing the dishes and the laundry, and it has been amazing how I now see little things that I can let go without any guilt or stress of 'what if'. My daily mantra at the moment:"Do the dishes; do the laundry..." 😁
So very true! Now that I'm keeping my laundry up, I realize I have way way way too many towels!
So true! When I feel overwhelmed, I set a goal to just do dishes and laundry, and one other thing. Then, at least I've done something! It is unrealistic for me personally to set the goal of having every single dish dried and put away. My routine is to have the dishwasher loaded to run at night, and have everything else hand washed and in the drying rack to put away next day. Same with laundry. I do one load a day and it rarely gets overwhelming. No matter what, there is new laundry to wash every day, so it is unrealistic to ever try to get all laundry clean at once. Putting that type of pressure on oneself is what causes people to lose their temper and say nasty things to whoever creates the first piece of dirty laundry after everything is clean.
When my kids were little, each night before going to bed, I’d start the dishes and a load of laundry, and move the laundry that had been in the washer into the drier. I felt so good going to sleep while my work was getting done! First thing in the morning, I’d move the laundry into the drier, and put another load into the washer.
I listen to you so much while cleaning that hearing it, makes my brain thing its time to get up and get started! hahah Watching a video has jumbled my brain! Thanks for making my house look "similar" to normal peoples!!! I am HUGE fan of your journey! If y'all haven't listened to her podcast, DO IT!!! It has changed the way my brain works!
Today - September 18, 2021 - I dropped what I was doing, took a donate box to my kitchen, took all my plastic food storage containers out of the cabinet, put their lids on them, put "just enough" back in the shelf, and put all the rest in the donate box and took it to my car. Thank you, Dana!
I call daily chores my “ABCs”. Bed, Clothes, Dishes, Garbage. If life gets wacky, I feel better if I do those and in that order, lol.
Hmm - what is A? Ablutions?
I have your books and loved them read them twice... ahh I love cas from clutter bug,and minimal mum wow you guys are all friends. I feel like I'm in the cool club xx
Thank you for this video, I actually enjoy decluttering and have never done it the standard 'drag it all out' way. The first time I saw a video of yours, I saw you NOT dragging everything out and you said do the dishes, I was hooked. Even on my bad days, the days that I can barely function, I still manage to do the dishes.
Going to try the plastic storage with lids on today. This is my second time watching this video. Thank you!
it does make a very big dfference... otherwise they split up and breed like odd socks.
I put “did the dishes” on a habit tracker app and it turns out my fave dishes balance is 2x per day. It goes so fast that way and is totally reasonable. I use the app Done but there are plenty... it helped me start the habit until I was in the groove. Now I can’t go more than 1 day without doing them b/c of dishes math. Week 2-3 really put it in perspective. Yes yes yes with lids on storage!
Which app is that? Just curious.
Dana, I am listening to both of your books, AGAIN, and they are changing my life AGAIN. You speak my language like no one else. Thank you. I love you. I thank God for you in my prayers. I'm not even kidding.
Me too!! ❤
I think this is the third or fourth video of yours that I've watched, and I subscribed. Out of all the decluttering videos I've watched in my life -- and that's a lot of videos -- your videos are the most helpful, practical, and inspiring I've ever seen.
The containers with the lid on IS IN FACT A GAME CHANGER!!!!!
I agree, been doing this for a couple of years now.
*Yes!* I've seen it that way in my mother in law's pantry...
♥️
_I will opt to go this route!_
I thought I was pretty organized but some how always had mismatched containers. Then I learned from Dawn that she puts the lids on. Wow that really does work. One cute wire basket holds them all.
Ok,, I got Do your dishes. That made sense. But the other four could not possibly have a big impact…. Or so I thought until I introduced them one at a time. After a month, my best friend said, I am so glad you finally broke down and hired a cleaner. Been following your recommendations for over a year. The impact was mind boggling! Thank you, Dana
New sub here. Where have you been my whole life? I'm going to store containers with the lids right now! Brilliantly simple.
Why I don't focus on cleaning?? Lazyiness tiredness stress! I think my anxiety is bad because it always wanting a clean house. But don't motivate myself
I understand. It can become a vicious cycle. We want a clean house but for some of the reasons you mentioned it doesn't always happen, also health issue and pain is partly my reason.
And then we get anxious because it's all too much but we hate seeing it but motivation is low to work on it. I think it can be partly a type of depression too as to why the motivation isn't there.
I am doing better these days because I keep pushing myself.
I use commercials on TV as a time to get up and do something. Anything. It's surprising what we can get done during 5 or 6 minutes.
Can put dishes away, wipe a counter, throw away trash etc.
Try and make small goals for yourself. A little bit at a time.
You're not alone.
Take some of the tips from these videos, there are so many helpful decluttering videos.
Have you watched "hoarders" or "hoarding. buried alive" ?
Watch some of those shows. They're on TH-cam. And I guarantee those shows can motivate you to do a little bit of tidying up and cleaning.
We don't want to reach that level of mess.
Good luck.
Thank you for being a cheerleader to those of us that struggle with the little things.
I do all the things you mentioned. I have another one that was a game-changer for me. If you have a dishwasher empty it first thing in the morning. I still hate doing it but the reward is I have a cup of coffee waiting for me when I finish this onerous task. Then I have a place to put dirty dishes all day to keep the kitchen tidy. I don’t like getting up in the morning so I am still half asleep while I am doing it and that helps me stay numb to it.
Also, if you ever set a timer for how long it takes to unload the dishwasher, you’ll discover it only takes 4 to 5 min. If even that! You can stand to do almost Anything for under 5 min!
Yes! This was a game changer for me when I finally figured it out. For us, emptying the dishwasher after breakfast is the kid’s morning chore. One does plastic, one does glass, the other does silverware. And of course we rotate the days for those so there’s no fighting. Takes two minutes now that they’re good at it.
My memory of my grandmas home is that there were always lots of people about and after a meal before ANYTHING ELSE the dishes and clean up were done. Then we all relaxed. I have no memory of mess or disorder in that house dispite all the visitors. It never felt stiff or formal in that home. All were relaxed, but it was simply dishes first. It was never spoken just done.
Because of this lockdown, we don’t eat out AT ALL anymore. Hubby and I are running the dishwasher just about every other day and I’m always hand washing my nicer pots and pans. But we’ve gotten into a great rythym!
I’ve recently listed to a couple of your books on audible. I love them! I love your style. I also really like that you’ve narrated your own books. Life has been crazy with four kids. I got lax on doing dishes daily. So I’ve been focusing on doing those dishes every day, and it really does make a huge difference.