Decluttering at the Speed of Life: Winning Your Never-Ending Battle with Stuff by Dana K. White
You must applaud anyone who invents the word, “Deslobification.” In DECLUTTERING AT THE SPEED OF LIFE, author Dana K. White explains how to develop a lifestyle of decluttering. She knows how to do this, from personal experience. She admits that,
“Pre-deslobification process, I was overwhelmed by my entire home.”
A central point of decluttering is the concept of what a “container” is supposed to do. It’s supposed to “contain” and therefore, LIMIT what can be stored. For example, if you understand that your house is a container, then you can begin limiting what is in that “container,” and make room for your family.
Ultimately, the author was able to get rid of her short-lived project to learning welding:
“I Decluttered 67 Lbs. Of Rusty Metal.”
One important guideline is what Dana calls the “Visibility Rule.” The idea is, to inspire yourself, by starting with the areas that give the biggest visual payback.
Another tip I really liked was to “establish a donate spot.” Everyone in the household knows where to take the stuff. (We already use that idea in our house, and it works well.)
There is an entire chapter on how to mix decluttering and your family. The author treads carefully here! She wisely notes, “You cannot control another person.” In her home, she happened upon a good tactic, which worked well. She gave her spouse a container to encourage him to declutter—and it worked! Her husband’s outlook on clutter changed, and “his grip on the things I thought he’d never give up loosened.”
So, all in all, I found DECLUTTERING AT THE SPEED OF LIFE to be a fun, informative read. Of course, not all the chapters were equally valuable, but I found many of the tips and concepts helpful. Dana K. White is a brave woman to talk about getting your spouse onboard. Plus, any writer who invents the word, “Deslobification” deserves a good review.
Decluttering at the Speed of Life by Dana K. White
