I've helped a family member with mobility issues by pulling the dresser drawer out and bringing to them at a table, they decluttered the drawer, I returned the drawer to the dresser and brought them the next drawer. Small things like this can help in a big way by offering to be their able-bodied runner and encourager.

Dana’s method definitely works well for us spoonies I.e those of us with chronic pain/illness and energy limitations. Other decluttering methods rely on the ability to push through and some of us just can’t, whereas Dana’s method never leaves a space worse and you can just do small chunks. Over the last 5 years I’ve gotten rid of 85% of the contents of my house. I have CFS/ME, fibromyalgia, hypermobility syndrome & PoTS which massively limits my energy and means I randomly get a lot of pain. This is on top of autism/aspergers & adhd which affects my ability to mentally keep on top of stuff. Maintaining a home is so hard but I’m finally in a place where I can just about manage it. It’s still hard but its so much better than it was. My advice to those like me is to do what you can following Dana’s method and work on really cutting your household inventory down. I find I can manage about 5-10% of household inventory as what most able-bodied people seem to manage, so I keep my inventory low and do regular small declutters of about ten mins to tackle my family’s incoming items. I then make sure I have dedicated space for my hobby items which are very important when you’re mostly housebound. Again though I keep these low and manageable. Big love to my fellow spoonies ❤ & thank you Dana for being so inclusive 😊

I love how realistic this is. You can’t do everything in an hour, but you can sort through two boxes of paper until it becomes one box, and that’s pretty cool.

Just another observation: I know exactly how she feels. So much of this “stuff” is physical evidence of the hard work we teachers do: lesson plans, laminated teaching aids, games, etc, etc, and it feels like we are negating all that time and effort and surely someone could use all of it. I retired 3 years ago and still have boxes of education books that I paid so much money for. 😟 But I have since realized that the climate of teaching is changing SO fast, particularly with so much material available on line, that my books, etc, are mostly considered obsolete and need to be tossed. (Shudder, it goes against my teacherly, environmentalist, endlessly helpful personality) But just from being away from the school and teaching has really shown me it is okay (in fact very good) to get rid of all this “stuff” that I am tripping over (mentally and physically) Good luck to all decluttering pioneers, we can do it!

Thank you to this amazing teacher who bravely let us watch her declutter, it’s really helpful. Covid exhaustion is awful. Best wishes.

"Don't make a bigger mess." Mind blowing. I always make a bigger mess when I am cleaning out stuff, and my mobility issues and back pain are exacerbated. This video changed my perspective.

So glad to see Dana work through a literal “I can not take it there now” situation , and yet find a way to make great progress still!

Hearing you say "Is it on your computer/can you print it again?" was an epiphany moment for me. I'm a paper resource hoarder.

Great job. Once Dana told her if she had the papers on her computer and could print it again was the game changer for this Teacher. 👏👏

7:24 cat has its own definition of the container concept:)

I can tell her stuff is probably wiping her out. She will feel amazing after this. What a wonderful thing for her to trash the items she can replace easily, if she needs them. I bet she will not ever need them again. I wish her the best for better health! ❤

I was a teacher and had to leave and brought EVERYTHING home. A lightbulb went on for me that stuff changes so much in the classroom, that most of the stuff I saved I probably wouldn’t even use a few years later. It was so freeing and I pitched it all.

So glad she gave permissionto share! There are too many of us like her in her position that do not have the nerve to show up on a video and nevertheless have the pain free or energy to do the work she put in! WTG to her! She did a wonderful job both showing up for a unspoken community and doing the very hard work!!! Thank you Dana for doing this video!

The kitty outrage at 07:33 made me laugh out loud 🤣

Being able to pause at anytime is invaluable

Started applying your methods (and attitude!😄) when I was going through an awful health crisis. Cleared out “stuff” so kids & husband would not need to after I died. I could only do 10 min at a time, but worked it in when I was standing up for other reasons. Well, I beat the illness and I have some beautifully half-empty, decluttered closets now. Thank you, Dana! You gave me a focus in what were supposed to be my last days! XOXOXO

She was so excited when you get her permission to let go- her face lit up with the biggest smile.

This is genius. I have MS and limited mobility, and fatigue hits unexpectedly. Decluttering in a way that allows me to stop at any moment without leaving more mess than I started is pure gold. Thank you!

Prayers for this teacher that she heals and feels better soon.🙏

I found this channel through Awkward mom. I have been decluttering for a while, and it feels amazing! But since I don't have a car, everything have to be trashed/donated/taken to the charity shop on foot. By me only. 😅 So before, I was not a fan of the idea of 'no mess' decluttering. Because I felt it would slow down that huge purge I was doing, and make me loose momentum and motivation. So I did it shelf by shelf, drawer by drawer. Everything going was gathered in my small kitchen (I live in an apartment), so I could make trips to the charity shop. It is about 500 meters away, but difficult to access with a lot of stairs. I also live on the first floor, so I have stairs to get out of my apartment as well. And since I only was one person, I had to make a LOT of trips. But as you may be able to guess, I ran out of steam. So I figured, since I could just close the door to the kitchen, I could leave it there for a bit. It wasn't that much. But then the months passed, I decluttered a few more things. When I came home from the grocery store, I only had the energy to put away the fridge/freezer stuff - so the bag with remaining items was put on the edge of the pile to 'put away later'. All the boxes from decluttering, that I now didn't have need of, but kind of loved, was added to the pile. Because 'maybe I could find a use/need for them in the next round...'. So the pile just grew and grew, and started to contain a lot of things that had to be made a decision on, or was going to different places. I spent less and less time in the kitchen. No energy to cook, so I started to live on microwave meals and frozen pizzas (not great for boosting energy levels or basic nutrients either). I had no energy to do the dishes either - they piled higher and higher (no dishwasher - If I had one, I think my issues with dishes would be minimal), and I got into the vicious circle of cleaning a dish at night to have a clean plate to eat off. Not proud of it, but it is what happened. And the more dishes that piled up, the more unmanageable it seemed to become. I have had a lot of success with flylady in the past. But in this season of life, it is too detailed for me - energy wise, I am running on the fumes on some days. So I think I will have to give both this cleaning and decluttering routine a try. I am definitely starting to see the brilliance of this concept. From now on, dishes and the 5 minute pick-up (but especially the dishes!) will be my main priority. And when decluttering, I declutter only what I can carry in one trip - and then I make that trip, before I declutter more. Excited to check out more from this channel! 😄

You asking her if those files/papers were also on a file on her computer that she could print if needed...brilliant! I know you've said it often, but it has finally sunk in---no mess decluttering. I have a habit of making a new pile. No more!!

It’s so so hard for teachers to let go of materials we’ve made. Saving stuff means energy saved in the future and throwing it away feels like something we’ll need to do again.

Very limited energy was my biggest question listening to Decluttering at the Speed of Life. Thanks for showing practical examples, especially when you can't yet face that you may never go back to something, but can't keep everything for it in your home.

I have chronic pain from lupus and fibromyalgia, as well as congestive heart failure. I try for 20 minutes at a time-or three classic rock songs…. A good day of decluttering means two days of rest.

I've said it before and I'll say it again: Dana, you are doing the Lord''s work. 💕 Thank you! 💖

Great video! I am a retired teacher recovering from COVID. I got 30 minutes decluttering done while this video was on. I was surprised that 30 minutes used properly does make a real difference. Later I will watch this video again and get another 30 minutes decluttering done. Maybe "half-hour better" is the right amount of time for me to declutter.

Long COVID has left so many people in this same situation. Left with remnants of the life they lived before and no reliable energy to dig their way out from under it. The stuff still feels relevant and as if our hopes lie in the accumulations. It’s paralyzing, and even a little terrifying sometimes. So much of our sense of self is invested in the stuff we actually needed before. I’m faced with that in my studio every day. It’s not always about the amount of ‘clutter’ in our physical space. Sometimes it’s about how the extremely well organized remnants make us feel when in the space and ultimately about ourselves. This video, and the service behind it will hopefully open up a world of similar assistance specifically for those struggling not just with long COVID but many other disabilities with similar symptoms.

12:46 Making that judgment call to sit down can also be life changing when it comes to illness related energy limitations. I know, it feels like you get more momentum and motivation when you’re standing, but if you sit and reserve that energy for finding trash (or whatever step you’re on), the progress when you’re done is way more motivating for the next time you want to start than if you stood and made less progress 🥰

As someone with an energy limiting disability, this was so powerful. Thankyou for being so supportive and understanding!

One of the great take aways is to get rid of items that can easily be replaced - like printing out paperwork.

I'm only a few minutes in and I'm just loving your support of her. This is why your method works so well. It doesn't matter what the situation, it can work.

I heard teachers & social workers are prone to get overwhelmed by clutter, because they hold onto so much stuff for others. We haven't gotten used to the amount of stuff we can acquire, we aren't built to take care of all this. Look at how simply people used to live, compared to what we have now. It's no wonder we're overwhelmed.

Many thanks to Ms Teacher for sharing her progress! I love the "aha" moment about defining trash and how she easily moved into the mode of "is this container worthy?" Great job!

I can say that having too much stuff in and of itself can cause fatigue when you are trying to clean out and declutter. Especially if it has been going on a long time.

📝📚📒Teacher papers have been one of the last things Im still clinging to after decluttering 97% of my house. When I taught music appreciation, I had my students handwrite answers to a journal prompt for the first 5 minutes of class each morning. It gave them a chance to express themselves personally, uniquely, and also encouraged them to think twice about constantly coming late to class, since their journal entries over the course of the 4 months netted around 10% of the final grade. But every time I decide enough's enough and pull that folder out to throw it away, I see these people's lives, hopes, and dreams, and I put it back into my file cabinet.

No mess is best… especially for my husband… I don’t mind mess but my husband does 🤪

I'm proud of this teacher. It brought me to tears to watch her courage to keep working. I have fibromyalgia and sometimes i just don't have the energy, but this is doable! I'm praying for this sweet worman and her bravery to share a private part of her life. Maybe God bless you, hon!

I feel her reluctance, I was quite attached to my children's learning materials 😢

I am recovering from cancer, surgery, chemo and radiation. This is super helpful for me. My place is already a mess, but I am getting better and so is my house. Slowly but surely! Best wishes on your continued recovery!

I have fibromyalgia, depression, & ocd. There's an inner conflict combination! Anyway I find watching decluttering videos like Dana's motivating and uplifting. Mel Robbins book The 5 Second Rule has helped as well as Atomic Habits. There are days I get a lot done and days I pick up one thing and move it. As long as I keep moving forward!

Thank you for this video. I have chronic health issues where if I overdo it, I’m down for days. I’m learning to minimize and to keep things tidy without running from place to place wearing myself out. I plan ahead to conserve energy but still keep up with household chores. It has helped greatly for the days that I’m not able to do much and not feel stressed by messes. I also do tasks on the way to things I need to do or get. If I’m going to the kitchen to get food, I take things along the way that go to that space.

The cat is a keeper for sure 😆 What a great job she did, especially with her current health limitations. I wish her continued improvement in both her space and her health.

Former teacher sinking in past teacher stuff, too!

I can SO relate to this video as I just decluttered a very large DOOM box. At first I couldn't believe how easy it was until I hit, what I call, "identity trash". In my case, these are papers that can and should be recycled but throwing them out is too painful because I feel as if I am thowing out a happy time in my life. The only way for me to move on was for me to put these items in a small box in the attic to revisit. Instead of focussing on the 3% of items I was unable to declutter, I'm celebrating the removal of a very large box that is now gone. I also appreciate you reminding us of all the things people can donate while decluttering. I actually benefitted from a teacher who donated some of her school supplies. The plastic bins I picked up years ago are not living in the landfill but are on my list to declutter as they can be reused to store paints and craft supplies in that awkward area beneath my sink. I also agree that I never thought to "define trash as papers that can be printed off your computer" if you need them. I actually have some papers that are going to be recycled (as opposed to filed) today. Thanks Dana!

I went through chemo a couple of years ago. All I could do was load the dishwasher and an occasional load of laundry. That was enough…. Decluttering had to wait 🙂

That cat's meow was so offended. Hopefully this lovely lady can get her energy back soon. I hope she finds the courage to find a job where she won't be exposed to covid so frequently, since she's clearly susceptible. Good luck!

papers are the hardest thing to go through.

You can’t know how much I needed this, my ability is so limited, exhaustion and extreme pain episodes! I have caregivers who are getting on board with your steps but I need to work with them! Just removing trash cleared up about a third of my art and craft studio! Caregivers are watching your beginning videos not only to help me but themselves!

~5:50 "So things that can be printed again are obvious trash!?!?! Whew!!" LOVED THIS!! She internalized her own permission. 🌿M

Real life...a real person...real results!! A realistic process that works!! ❤️❤️❤️

I always used to make a bigger mess thinking I needed to sort things into totes, that never got put away & just became part of the mess again. Doing it that way over & over, really made me just give up. I knew I needed to declutter, I just didn't have a clue how. Thanks for the guidance, Dana.

OMGosh!!! This was so so good!!! I’d like to thank you, Dana, and your Kindred Spirit Patreon member for sharing this!!! I have stage 4 cancer and the fatigue is real and I can not stand for prolonged periods so this really struck a chord with me! I’m on permanent disability and you have shown me how I can get started and continue with your program and it will work so then I can make some progress. I can’t afford to contribute through Patreon so this is so helpful! You are both very sweet people and very intelligent and very kind! May God continue bless each of you!!! 💙💙💙

My big issue has been my health after burning out at a job two years back so I appreciate this video

I taught high school for 20 years. When i retired, I threw away 21 large trash cans (half full because of paper weight) plus many many small trash bags, plus books and big stuff I set outside my classroom for maintenence to pick up and toss. I brought a lot home and sorted through for donations, etc. I could have done nicely without all of it ten years earlier.

The point about the training paperwork, that a few years later “we don’t do that anymore” is so true (and not just in education). She made great progress, and her cat helper was a delight. I too have to enjoy other people’s cats from a safe distance to avoid allergies.

I’d like to thank you Dana for just giving me validation that I DO INDEED have energy/pain limitations and that that is OK! Just recognizing this helped my heart/mind so much. Thank you for your Grace. You’re doing amazing work for sooo many.

I always seem to struggle with energy- after Covid I didn’t even have the energy to walk across the room- wash a dish and not to mention cook a meal - this feels like permission to move slow and know eventually I get my home back into shape ❤thank you

This was a great session, as it addressed needs of people who have low energy for a myriad of reasons.

I have tears watching this, she literally sounds like me on a bad day when Im trying really hard to get it done. God bless you for helping her through this. This surely must have helped her immune system. Im not alone with health struggles & clutter.

Anything that can be reprinted.... hmmm GREAT CONCEPT!! 🤣 I needed permission for this. Thanks DANA!

This is a great video for me today. I want to dust the house, but have other things to do, too. Sometimes I forget that I can set a timer or just dust the hutch and a few bookshelves today and finish up tomorrow, depending on my schedule and energy. Thanks, Dana. Appreciate the lady in the video allowing you to post for us, too. ❤

Another former teacher here... I understand the feeling of having a hard time getting rid of classroom materials. It does feel hard to get rid of things, but i can't save everything 😢 I am decluttering thanks to you Dana, but i felt like today was wasted because I simply had NO ENERGY to do anything more than to cook several meals for the next few days. I haven't even gotten the dishes done yet, although they're stacked nicely in the dish pan waiting for me. I pretty much slept all day - most out of the ordinary for me. My husband said it's necessary and not a waste of time because he can see how far the work has progressed thus far. I too am dealing with several health issues and i appreciate your understanding of these things. I keep repeating your statements of "Take it there now, do your dishes, and it's not perfect, but it's better than it was". You are a blessing to me and others because you dont judge or push us into things that we aren't ready to do yet. I had a friend who use to do that because she thought she was being "helpful ", but all she did was to stress me out !!! 😢 I identify more with you, although I also take advice from Dawn, and Cass, and it's nice to go into areas that have been decluttered, and just enjoy the beautiful sight of order, under the sink...or in the cupboards...or the pantry...or the closet...and the garage shelves. 😊

I appreciate your guest allowing us to work through things virtually with her. ❤ And prayers for her energy level to increase as time goes on. Loved the sweet kitty "helping"!

Bless this Teacher...I can relate so well because I'm a Teacher! I'm decluttering right now. Thanks for sharing this video Dana!

Wonderful progress. It made me rethink my keeping of records and plans for my child with a disability. They are very old and are replaced each year. Also her case manager has them all on the computer already so they aren’t gone altogether. This process is not just household items.

Dana is FANTASTERRIFIC! I’m chipping away at my clutter bit by bit. My spaces are B E T T E R !!! 💪🏆😃

Praying that this wonderful teacher makes a complete and speedy recovery. BE GONE COVID, you beast. You are not welcome here.

This is also good for someone in a demanding caregiving role where you have to be monitoring and able to stop at a moment's notice-and you cannot leave the decluttering project scattered. This has been a big help. I like how you helped her make a whole category decision which will make a sudden huge leap forward for her-to dump all paperwork that can be easily reprinted from her computer should she ever need it again!

Dear Dana, your videos are so helpful and entertaining too! 😀👍 I am struggling with clutter almost my whole life and recently it got even worse… I took this week off to tackle the problem but I was so overwhelmed and paralysed that I was unable to do anything… until I found this video… it helped me not only to start but also to continue. Focusing on trash and easy stuff (take it there now!) kept me going, I startet with „25 Minutes better“ but the progress was obvious and so I was motivated to do more… in the last two days I made really an impact and now I am much more confident that I can get back the control over my living space in the near future. Thank you so much!

Hello from France! 🙂 Thank you for this video. I suffer from chronic migraines and chronic fatigue, and although you have helped me a lot over the past few years ("start with what's easy", "start with what's visible" are my rules 😉), I still struggle with cleaning and decluttering because of my low energy. So today I really feel I'm part of the team ! 🤗

I only found this channel a few days ago, but I have to say "one hour better" and "put it there now" have become game--nay--LIFE changers. Thanks so much.

Thank you so much for this video. I'm a former preschool teacher. I have MS and could not return to work. This is very helpful for when I run out of energy.

This was awesome! No one ever decides to allow clutter to surmount. Stresses in life and sickness can cause things to overwhelm us. I had cancer and shoved paperwork and various items in a dresser. I didn’t have the heart to go through it. When I did, it was a HUGE release and blessing. I had to do it while listening to your videos. Thank you!

Hearing you go through the process with someone is so relaxing

I have chronic pain, mobility issues and I get fatigued . And I need to grasp this concept of not making a bigger mess. Trash first. Yes. I think I have that part down. I then get lost with the sorting out and finding homes for things and what needs to go or stay. Ugh. Paper work is the worst I have been working through a huge box full and have been shredding and recycling. It's taking weeks on and off to do a bit at a time. I can't stick with it as i get overwhelmed so i do some then leave it and do something else. But i do go back to it. We moved into this home over a year ago. Still trying to tackle things in the house. I'm in pain and getting surgery next month. My Husband works and he could help more but he just switches off when he gets home and so that's another topic. He does things here and there but I usually have to ask. He doesn't see the things that I see. So yeah it's hard when you're tired and you still have to do the regular housework and make meals and even taking a shower and self care. It's tough if anyone is dealing with some kind of illness or disease. You have my understanding and empathy. Dana is such a help and I haven't visited her channel in ages. I was following her methods a year or so ago but then I let things go. Her newer video came up in my feed today. So it is good timing because I do want my home in better order before I get surgery. I have been watching several of her videos today to catch up on ones I have missed.

I have multiple autoimmune disorders and sooo many problems from Covid... I find every little thing that I declutter give me more energy And so much peace!!! I team across what you do well. I was so, so sick; however, I have made so much progress despite that! My friends and family members who do not have the same challenges Have asked me how I am doing it.! 👏🏼 I truly cannot think you enough!

Oh, Dana, thank you for this video. I have very limited energy (back disability), and now I have covid, so needless to say, I really have less energy😢. You are so caring about people who have limitations, and this was a perfect video for me. I want to say thank you to the teacher who welcomed us in her home to watch and a big Thabo you to you Dana for all you do for us. ❤❤

I can definitely relate to her situation. Thanks so much for sharing this! And I hope she starts to regain her health soon.

Thank you so much for posting this. I have ME and I have really bad energy and motivation dips. I decluttered my whole house using this type of decluttering (before I realised you called it one hour better). I always sit down and take one box at a time. It has taken a while to get my house decluttered, but every time I do it, I know my house is better. I am also a Speech and Language Therapist, so I know what it is like to have stuff that you feel will be useful and you don't want to throw it out. Thank you again for showing this side of decluttering.

Kitty wants to know what box she's supposed to sit in now. Seriously though this is really helpful. I have chronic pain and long COVID as well as a mother who is showing early signs of dementia so I can't count on large blocks of time.

I love your no mess method! As someone with limited energy myself - and I don't always know when I've reached the end of it - this is so helpful. Also, I appreciate how kind you are.

Seeing how to go through things without pulling everything out is helpful, I was having trouble picturing it.

Ms. Teacher you've done great! I hope you can go on like this. Dana, very good to show how to declutter with energy limitations. Thank you both.

You are such a loving person. Feeling safe in this process is vital. Best wishes for this sweet lady in her healing. Paper is so hard. She has a great attitude. She’ll conquer the obstacles in her way with her outlook. Be gentle with yourself. You’ll get there.

I watched this at the end of a sick day. Boy did I need it. Off to do my evening routine as best I can. "Better is best!"

I know it has nothing to do to do with decluttering, but I love her 🐈‍⬛!

Oh DANA!!! I so much LOVE your "one-hour-better" videos!! Please keep them coming. They are so motivational. I am doing a daily "15-minutes better" challenge with myself. It is amazing how seeing that little cleared space frees and motivates and results in ACTION!!! 🌿M

You are just amazing. You really are Mothering all of us who didn't have proper housekeeping and home care passed down to us. I have been at this for decades too.....Kon Marie all the people out there....for years, but this is hands down the best method I have ever tried. I'm using it with my little kids now! Thank you.🙏💖👍

Hoping Ms. Teacher is back in the classroom soon. I have MS and deal with extreme fatigue. Your books and videos have saved my home and mental health. I used to clear out everything and live with a huge mess until I shoved it all back in. Now, I hear your voice during the process, 5-minute pick ups and even just when I have one thing in my hand to put away.

I’m still learning to not make a bigger mess. Seeing this is so helpful bc I see myself here sooooo much. Especially the point of already having low energy and just thinking of decluttering is exhausting bc I always believed it would turn into a bigger mess.

This video resonates with me. I had to stop working and college in the fall of 2019 due to illness. I was going to be a teacher. I have about 10 minutes of energy at a time. I use the take it there now method throughout the day, and its effect on my brain is relaxing. I don't walk into a room with multiple things needing to be dealt with because I already dealt with them. This method of living is honestly mind-blowing for me and a duh realization, too! This must be how “normal” people who don't have clutter issues live lol. I also weave cleaning and decluttering throughout the day by doing a little task each time I get up to go to the bathroom. I give myself permission to stop after only doing a few things. For instance; only loading a few things in the dishwasher at a time if I have no energy but doing it multiple times during the day. I also give myself permission to not do it perfectly.

Just started the vid. I can tell your client is not sorting, but trying to find "trash", because I am the same way. I can never find obvious trash until I pick up a few items to see where the trash is.

You have changed my life !! I hate things not organized and clutter and at the same time I’ve been so stuck … not anymore ! Thank you so much !!

Loved the - let’s avoid doing “for now…” actions! Lightbulb moment as to why I make little progress! 🎉

Thank you for making this. I'm recovering from chemo and surgery. With the no mess method I can stop once I start to feel exhausted.

I'm only halfway through, but boy this is so honest and relatable. Huge thank you to "Ms Teacher" for sharing this with us. You're very brave. 💪💕✨

Great timing- going into SAD season. My energy is definitely lower in the less daylight months.

Yes, I am a former classroom teacher, home school mom and Jr. Church teacher. This was helpful. I like the kindred spirits like Anne of Avonlea.

🐈‍⬛ This was a great video and decluttering session. I loved the kitty cameo.

Aww she is so sweet!!! Former teacher here. You did great!!