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Jesus Doesn't Care About Your Messy House: He Cares About Your Heart
The phrase “cleanliness is next to godliness” isn’t found in the Bible. Your house can never be good enough to please God—not because you can’t scrub it or declutter hard enough, but because that is never what He was looking for in the first place. Join Dana K. White, author of Decluttering at the Speed of Life, as she works through removing the shame associated with having a messy home and reveling in the grace and love of our Savior.
This book is for you, if no matter how competent you feel in other parts of your life, you still feel overwhelmed and defeated by your messy home. While it’s true that keeping a clean and organized living space can contribute to a sense of peace and well-being, it should never be equated with your worth, moral standing, or what Jesus thinks about you.
Dana K. White, trusted by millions for her no-holds-barred cleaning confessions and practical decluttering method wants
remove any shame or identity crisis associated with disorganizationhelp you understand God's love and purposeful design for you that is much bigger than any mess in your house. Sharing relatable stories, biblical teaching, and practical life application, Dana will help you find a sense of freedom, acceptance, and a deeper understanding of God's love and purpose for you and your house.
This book is for you, if no matter how competent you feel in other parts of your life, you still feel overwhelmed and defeated by your messy home. While it’s true that keeping a clean and organized living space can contribute to a sense of peace and well-being, it should never be equated with your worth, moral standing, or what Jesus thinks about you.
Dana K. White, trusted by millions for her no-holds-barred cleaning confessions and practical decluttering method wants
remove any shame or identity crisis associated with disorganizationhelp you understand God's love and purposeful design for you that is much bigger than any mess in your house. Sharing relatable stories, biblical teaching, and practical life application, Dana will help you find a sense of freedom, acceptance, and a deeper understanding of God's love and purpose for you and your house.
240 pages, Paperback
Published February 11, 2025
184 people are currently reading
4998 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 83 reviews
March 11, 2025
Why did I read a book about Jesus when I'm not religious? The answer is both simple and complex. The simple version is that I have read two other Dana K. White books about decluttering and really enjoyed them, in addition to following her weekly videos on YouTube. She is a funny and clever lady who is good at giving housekeeping advice.
A more complicated reason is that my mother would have been classified as a hoarder, and when she died and I had to deal with her giant mess while also trying to mourn, I completely shut down. It took me five years before I could make any progress, with mom's boxes sitting in my basement that entire time. It was Dana's advice that helped me get started going through mom's stuff.
So I'm a longtime fan of Dana's no-mess decluttering process, and I figured that even though she would be referencing Jesus in her new book, there would probably be some stories and elements of advice that I would still find helpful and inspiring. And that turned out to be true.
In this book Dana is trying to remove the shame that a lot of Christian women feel about having an untidy home, pointing out that the saying "cleanliness is next to godliness" isn't from the Bible, and in fact, the Bible has precious little to say about having a perfectly maintained home. Her point is that Jesus cares about you as a person, not about your mess.
I appreciated the research Dana did regarding the common sayings about cleaning and religion, and I was inspired by her sections encouraging readers to prioritize your time to maximize the good you can do in the world, utilizing the gifts and talents you were given. I also enjoyed her humorous family anecdotes — Dana is a great storyteller.
I listened to this on audio, just as I listened to Dana's books "How to Manage Your Home Without Losing Your Mind" and "Decluttering at the Speed of Life," and if you enjoy audiobooks I highly recommend her narration. Dana has a performing background and she is an excellent reader.
If this is your first time hearing about Dana K. White and you're intrigued about her decluttering advice, I would recommend reading her books in chronological order, with "How to Manage Your Home" first, and "Decluttering at the Speed of Life" second. She also has an excellent YouTube channel and extensive podcast, "A Slob Comes Clean."
Even though I'm not religious, I appreciated Dana's perspective, especially how she realized she had her own special gift to share with the world, which turned out to be really helpful decluttering advice. God works in mysterious ways.
A more complicated reason is that my mother would have been classified as a hoarder, and when she died and I had to deal with her giant mess while also trying to mourn, I completely shut down. It took me five years before I could make any progress, with mom's boxes sitting in my basement that entire time. It was Dana's advice that helped me get started going through mom's stuff.
So I'm a longtime fan of Dana's no-mess decluttering process, and I figured that even though she would be referencing Jesus in her new book, there would probably be some stories and elements of advice that I would still find helpful and inspiring. And that turned out to be true.
In this book Dana is trying to remove the shame that a lot of Christian women feel about having an untidy home, pointing out that the saying "cleanliness is next to godliness" isn't from the Bible, and in fact, the Bible has precious little to say about having a perfectly maintained home. Her point is that Jesus cares about you as a person, not about your mess.
I appreciated the research Dana did regarding the common sayings about cleaning and religion, and I was inspired by her sections encouraging readers to prioritize your time to maximize the good you can do in the world, utilizing the gifts and talents you were given. I also enjoyed her humorous family anecdotes — Dana is a great storyteller.
I listened to this on audio, just as I listened to Dana's books "How to Manage Your Home Without Losing Your Mind" and "Decluttering at the Speed of Life," and if you enjoy audiobooks I highly recommend her narration. Dana has a performing background and she is an excellent reader.
If this is your first time hearing about Dana K. White and you're intrigued about her decluttering advice, I would recommend reading her books in chronological order, with "How to Manage Your Home" first, and "Decluttering at the Speed of Life" second. She also has an excellent YouTube channel and extensive podcast, "A Slob Comes Clean."
Even though I'm not religious, I appreciated Dana's perspective, especially how she realized she had her own special gift to share with the world, which turned out to be really helpful decluttering advice. God works in mysterious ways.
November 5, 2024
Reading this book was like getting a warm hug from a friend. It does not condone laziness, but acknowledges that even if you want your house to be clean, it might be challenging for you to make that happen (e.g., due to having young children who make a mess they can't clean up yet). Most importantly, the good news of Jesus' grace is preached directly and repeatedly: we can't clean up our house or our lives enough to earn God's love, and we don't have to, because He gives it freely. This book also had an interesting exposition of Proverbs 31 and some other Bible passages. In addition to her compassion and Biblical literacy, I appreciated Mrs. White's humor and authenticity. Even though it's not the specific focus of this book, there are also practical suggestions for how to declutter a house without creating more of a mess. I recommend this thoughtful and helpful book. It left me feeling understood and inspired.
Thank you to NetGalley and W Publishing/Thomas Nelson for the free eARC! I post this review with my honest opinions. This review will be cross-posted to Amazon, Instagram, and Goodreads closer to the book's publication.
Thank you to NetGalley and W Publishing/Thomas Nelson for the free eARC! I post this review with my honest opinions. This review will be cross-posted to Amazon, Instagram, and Goodreads closer to the book's publication.
March 24, 2025
Jesus Doesn't Care About Your Messy House is the newest book by Dana K. White. The book is a faith-based perspective on household clutter.
Like her podcast she makes you feel like you’re sitting in her living room having some girl time chatting about giving yourself grace as you figure out your strengths and weaknesses in managing your home.
Like her podcast she makes you feel like you’re sitting in her living room having some girl time chatting about giving yourself grace as you figure out your strengths and weaknesses in managing your home.
Audiobook source: Libby
Narrator: Dana K. White
Length: 6h 33m
December 31, 2024
This was the book I didn't know I needed. Dana's writing style is fun, but to the point. I loved that her faith shines through in this book. I've read her decluttering and homemaking books, but this book is a departure from those with a focus on her relationship with the Lord, and lessons from the Bible. She writes about her faith and how a messy home is not a sin, or the sign of a lazy person. This book helped me to see how things that were said about my home growing up were not biblical. This really helped me to shift my perspective on homemaking. Also, this book gave me the words to share with my teenage daughter. She is a very creative person who sees a potential project in everything. Ev.er.y.thing. Needless to say, her room is not the tidiest of teenage rooms ever, but now I feel better equipped to help her.
I enjoyed my time in this book. Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my opinion.
I enjoyed my time in this book. Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my opinion.
February 4, 2025
First, let me say I’m not exactly the target audience for this book. I loosely follow Dana, but haven’t read any of her books or taken her courses. I’m not overwhelmed by clutter, but I struggle with normal amounts of it, haha! However, I was drawn in by the title, and read it without really knowing what to expect. It was different—and better than anything I expected.
While I didn’t learn a lot about decluttering (not the point of this book) I learned so much about the state of my heart and my opinions of others. I felt convicted and encouraged. I finished the book with less angst about my sometimes messy house, and with empathy for those who struggle. I also got a better sense of Jesus’ love for me—and how it’s not dependent on how messy or tidy my house is.
This book is for all Christian women, whether your house is clean or dirty, organized or cluttered. You’ll change your mindset and your heart through Dana’s encouraging words!
I received a copy of this book through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
While I didn’t learn a lot about decluttering (not the point of this book) I learned so much about the state of my heart and my opinions of others. I felt convicted and encouraged. I finished the book with less angst about my sometimes messy house, and with empathy for those who struggle. I also got a better sense of Jesus’ love for me—and how it’s not dependent on how messy or tidy my house is.
This book is for all Christian women, whether your house is clean or dirty, organized or cluttered. You’ll change your mindset and your heart through Dana’s encouraging words!
I received a copy of this book through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
July 12, 2025
If you have ever felt ANY sort of shame this book is for you. Completely encouraging. Dana knows her stuff. And she knows Jesus.
February 14, 2025
I love Dana's story and treasure this book and message. It felt like a breath of fresh air because sometimes I look at my friends houses and think there's something wrong with me and my messy house feels like a spiritual issue. But i really just need to stop analyzing, trust in His grace and start by throwing away the trash. I'm so glad she wrote this book.
April 22, 2025
I enjoy Dana White’s books on organization, so I was curious to read this one where she explores her Christian faith more deeply. While I appreciate her intent to approach organization from a faith-based perspective, the book felt more like an extended blog post than a fully developed work. Her reflections seemed a bit shallow, and I found myself wishing for more depth. I’m sure this will resonate with some readers, but for me, it came across as somewhat superficial.
June 15, 2025
I really appreciate Dana K White. Her approach to keeping house has helped me a lot. I also think she has a great sense of humor and enjoy listening to her narrate her books. I will remember her writing about how she was motivated to change her actions because she understood her relationship with God isn't dependent on her actions.
Read
March 17, 2025My feelings about this book are complex, so I’m going without a star rating.
The title is just bad. Dana starts the book with an intro all about the title, so I can see it was controversial even during the writing process. But I bristle at any title that declares Jesus’s moral opinion for or against something. Something like “Your Messy House, Your Heart, and Jesus” isn’t as catchy, but it wouldn’t require a four-page explanation either.
Part 2 is great. Lots of good spiritual lessons connected to real life. Four and a half stars for part 2!
But part 1 is murkier. Reading it felt like Dana had two audiences. One is the group she calls “People Like Me” and the other is people who don’t understand People Like Me. Sometimes she’s talking to the first group, often defending her legitimacy as someone they can relate to; but sometimes she’s talking to the second group, defending herself against their assumed judgment. So part 1 felt all over the place — trying to defend herself against opposing positions while also encouraging People Like Me and extolling the grace of Jesus.
Like I said, complex feelings. 🙂 Dana is so practically helpful — I texted her first two book titles to a friend just this morning! — and I love her heart for the Lord, but I think this book missed the mark.
The title is just bad. Dana starts the book with an intro all about the title, so I can see it was controversial even during the writing process. But I bristle at any title that declares Jesus’s moral opinion for or against something. Something like “Your Messy House, Your Heart, and Jesus” isn’t as catchy, but it wouldn’t require a four-page explanation either.
Part 2 is great. Lots of good spiritual lessons connected to real life. Four and a half stars for part 2!
But part 1 is murkier. Reading it felt like Dana had two audiences. One is the group she calls “People Like Me” and the other is people who don’t understand People Like Me. Sometimes she’s talking to the first group, often defending her legitimacy as someone they can relate to; but sometimes she’s talking to the second group, defending herself against their assumed judgment. So part 1 felt all over the place — trying to defend herself against opposing positions while also encouraging People Like Me and extolling the grace of Jesus.
Like I said, complex feelings. 🙂 Dana is so practically helpful — I texted her first two book titles to a friend just this morning! — and I love her heart for the Lord, but I think this book missed the mark.
March 21, 2025
4.5 stars
Things I liked:
* Easy-to-read, conversational tone
* Anything that talks about removing shame around something that society says should look a certain way is always a win for me.
* “Being understood feels like being loved. True understanding of my heart, my emotions, my struggles, and my motivations feels better, I believe, than being put on a pedestal where I worry I might fall at any moment.”
I was intrigued by the title of this book because I have lived with several people over my life who have been very clean, orderly people. While I also like a clean, orderly home, I am also able to tolerate low levels of clutter more than those I’ve lived with. I have often felt less than after living with others who are super clean either because they’ve told me I don’t know how to keep a home, or they have implied I am a slob. When you’re told the same thing over and over by multiple different people, you have to wonder if there is some truth to what they are saying. Personally, I don’t consider myself a slob or an unclean person. After reading this book, I think the problem lies more in others placing such a high value on cleanliness that they are willing to put others down who don’t rise to their level. There’s nothing wrong with wanting and having an orderly home. When you use household cleanliness as a measure for someone else’s worth, that says more about the super clean person than it does about the one who isn’t, in my opinion.
📖 Summary
This is about removing the shame around how messy your home is. Dana has written other books on how to declutter and includes some of her strategies in this book, but not in depth. Some additional favorite quotes are:
“You don’t need someone to tell you that you could relax more if your house weren’t so messy. You know these things. I call that cleansplaining. Cleansplaining is equivalent to mansplaining, which is offensive, unhelpful, and unnecessary by definition.”
“If you cared enough to read this book because your messy house weighs on your mind, you already know everything someone could tell you about why a clean house is a good thing. When someone assumes you need to be told, you feel alienated and disrespected. Attempting to be helpful but doing it in a way that doesn’t help is the opposite of helpful.”
‼️Topics include: cleaning, shame, Jesus
📏Chapter length: medium to long
Things I liked:
* Easy-to-read, conversational tone
* Anything that talks about removing shame around something that society says should look a certain way is always a win for me.
* “Being understood feels like being loved. True understanding of my heart, my emotions, my struggles, and my motivations feels better, I believe, than being put on a pedestal where I worry I might fall at any moment.”
I was intrigued by the title of this book because I have lived with several people over my life who have been very clean, orderly people. While I also like a clean, orderly home, I am also able to tolerate low levels of clutter more than those I’ve lived with. I have often felt less than after living with others who are super clean either because they’ve told me I don’t know how to keep a home, or they have implied I am a slob. When you’re told the same thing over and over by multiple different people, you have to wonder if there is some truth to what they are saying. Personally, I don’t consider myself a slob or an unclean person. After reading this book, I think the problem lies more in others placing such a high value on cleanliness that they are willing to put others down who don’t rise to their level. There’s nothing wrong with wanting and having an orderly home. When you use household cleanliness as a measure for someone else’s worth, that says more about the super clean person than it does about the one who isn’t, in my opinion.
📖 Summary
This is about removing the shame around how messy your home is. Dana has written other books on how to declutter and includes some of her strategies in this book, but not in depth. Some additional favorite quotes are:
“You don’t need someone to tell you that you could relax more if your house weren’t so messy. You know these things. I call that cleansplaining. Cleansplaining is equivalent to mansplaining, which is offensive, unhelpful, and unnecessary by definition.”
“If you cared enough to read this book because your messy house weighs on your mind, you already know everything someone could tell you about why a clean house is a good thing. When someone assumes you need to be told, you feel alienated and disrespected. Attempting to be helpful but doing it in a way that doesn’t help is the opposite of helpful.”
‼️Topics include: cleaning, shame, Jesus
📏Chapter length: medium to long
June 18, 2025
4.5 ⭐️ Another awesome audio book from Dana K. White (my FAVORITE refreshingly relatable cleaning guru) that uplifts and inspires in an authentic way. From her humorous stories to her genuine heart, I left this uplifted and with a heart more open to Jesus. Now I want to go back and read her cleaning books again!
QUOTES:
The struggle isn’t the sin. Our weakness isn’t a design flaw, it’s the actual design. We were designed to need God. Needing God is not the result of sin, sin is the result of thinking we don’t need God.
Faith is abandoning all trust in my own resources.
The more we live within the freedom of boundaries…
What counts as following Jesus? Doing whatever He asks you to do, today. Right now.
Content: squeaky clean
QUOTES:
The struggle isn’t the sin. Our weakness isn’t a design flaw, it’s the actual design. We were designed to need God. Needing God is not the result of sin, sin is the result of thinking we don’t need God.
Faith is abandoning all trust in my own resources.
The more we live within the freedom of boundaries…
What counts as following Jesus? Doing whatever He asks you to do, today. Right now.
Content: squeaky clean
November 6, 2025
This book is encouraging and compelling for anyone to examine their own heart. To learn to see a person and not the mess. It was very helpful to me to better understand the mind of someone who struggles with “keeping a tidy house”. I think she was thorough in clearing up “Bible quotes “ that are NOT in the Bible! Would recommend to anyone whether you struggle with messiness or not.
March 18, 2025
This book is so encouraging, deep in to one’s heart. It is enjoyable and entertaining The author makes deep, important concepts relatable and easy to understand. Highly recommend. I will listen to this more than once.
April 18, 2025
This book isn't for everyone, but it has helped me! I have similar perspectives about my home as the author. I really, really like how she gets to the "heart" of the matter.
March 1, 2025
What a disappointment. I liked Dana's other books but could not get past the first chapter.
February 20, 2025
I bought this audiobook to support my "decluttering guru on the internet." Dana's narration was as delightful as it always is.
It was refreshing, in this day and age, to read a Christian book that is not prefaced by "white" and/or succeeded by "nationalism"; a book that doesn't use Jesus as a whip. In fact, this was opposite of all that. It was heartwarming, honest, funny, entertaining, truthful, and feel-good. It was nonjudgmental, undemanding, …and sassy. Because this is Dana K. White, after all.
This book was written with love.
It was refreshing, in this day and age, to read a Christian book that is not prefaced by "white" and/or succeeded by "nationalism"; a book that doesn't use Jesus as a whip. In fact, this was opposite of all that. It was heartwarming, honest, funny, entertaining, truthful, and feel-good. It was nonjudgmental, undemanding, …and sassy. Because this is Dana K. White, after all.
This book was written with love.
June 17, 2025
It was fine. I like this author but I felt like this could have been a blog post or podcast episode instead of a whole book.
March 17, 2025
I really appreciate Dana's writing style. Since I enjoyed her other books, I was really excited to read this one from a Christian perspective. It encouraged me in my faith and decluttering journey!
December 1, 2025
I laughed. I cried. I learned. I am one of her people and I need to find her other books to learn more about the decluttering part lol but I loved reading about how God worked in and transformed her life.
October 22, 2025
“True prayer isn’t a form of control. It’s not an attempt to get what I want by bringing God over to my side. True prayer is giving my request completely over to God and trusting him to do as he pleases. True prayer is believing God sees and knows what is best … I was using prayer as a last ditch effort as something I could do when it felt like nothing else was working.”
February 20, 2025
Jesus Doesn't Care About Your Messy House is the first book I have read by Dana White. After reading her book, I want more people to hear about her, especially if you struggle with keeping a clean house.
"Jesus cares about your messy house if you care about your messy house."
It's not that Dana outlines in detail what you can do to keep your house clean (she doesn't), but what she does is talk about her journey with struggling to keep her house clean, despite her best efforts.
"My point is that a messy house is not necessarily a result of laziness. For me, it was a result of not knowing which tasks and mindsets needed to be my priority."
I am a type A, organized person, so I don't struggle with keeping my house clean and organized. However, I still found valuable information in this book. While it should probably be intuitive, I realized that not everyone cleans and organizes in the same way. Yes, I knew that, but had not really realized it. The way Dana talked about struggling with "Time Passage Awareness Disorder," brought to mind my ADHD daughter's "time blindness." My daughter struggles with clutter and I believe she will find Dana's container method helpful while finding her clutter threshold enlightening. And, no, I am not going to use this book against my daughter, but I am thankful for how it made me think, and hopefully be able to help my daughter in the ways she struggles.
"Saying cleanliness is next to godliness isn't just not right; it's wrong. The concept implies we get closer to God by washing behind our ears or by doing the dishes."
This book is broken into two parts. The first section talks about how cleanliness is not a spiritual issue and the second discusses how cleanliness is a spiritual image (not a spiritual issue). The book is written in a conversational tone, with real-life stories and struggles, pointing you toward Jesus, while providing practical tips to help you along the way.
Thank you to Front Gate Media for the opportunity to read this book. I was not required to provide a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
"Jesus cares about your messy house if you care about your messy house."
It's not that Dana outlines in detail what you can do to keep your house clean (she doesn't), but what she does is talk about her journey with struggling to keep her house clean, despite her best efforts.
"My point is that a messy house is not necessarily a result of laziness. For me, it was a result of not knowing which tasks and mindsets needed to be my priority."
I am a type A, organized person, so I don't struggle with keeping my house clean and organized. However, I still found valuable information in this book. While it should probably be intuitive, I realized that not everyone cleans and organizes in the same way. Yes, I knew that, but had not really realized it. The way Dana talked about struggling with "Time Passage Awareness Disorder," brought to mind my ADHD daughter's "time blindness." My daughter struggles with clutter and I believe she will find Dana's container method helpful while finding her clutter threshold enlightening. And, no, I am not going to use this book against my daughter, but I am thankful for how it made me think, and hopefully be able to help my daughter in the ways she struggles.
"Saying cleanliness is next to godliness isn't just not right; it's wrong. The concept implies we get closer to God by washing behind our ears or by doing the dishes."
This book is broken into two parts. The first section talks about how cleanliness is not a spiritual issue and the second discusses how cleanliness is a spiritual image (not a spiritual issue). The book is written in a conversational tone, with real-life stories and struggles, pointing you toward Jesus, while providing practical tips to help you along the way.
Thank you to Front Gate Media for the opportunity to read this book. I was not required to provide a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
March 5, 2025
I received an advanced reader's edition from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Full disclosure- I might be a little biased about Dana's books. In very early 2020 (just before the pandemic hit) my husband started reading How to manage your home without loosing your mind (for a book study with homework). The homework part I admit made me feel very judged- and I was encouraged to read it as well. And it probably saved my sanity in those months that came next where I was home with all the children all day long. Do the dishes. Just do the dishes.
(I've gone back and reread this one every year since- and will probably continue to do so)
This book is different from the decluttering books, but also it kinda goes hand in hand. It's being receptive to the works Jesus is doing in your life, and having a right relationship with stuff to not impede those works. If you are overwhelmed by the clutter, it's hard to focus on anything else. Dana made the point about that if you are afraid to open the door to anyone there comes a point where you feel like you don't want Jesus to call either because you aren't ready.
It was a really good book, I also bought the audio version because it's read by Dana and you can't go wrong hearing her actual voice! My favorite/ aha moment was about the brand new 20 year old tires. I think everyone has had that sort of moment somewhere. ( They got a trailer that had these brand new tires on it. Except that they weren't actually brand new tires by the time her family had gotten them. They were barely used tires that were new 20 years ago and had been sitting and rotting for the last 20 years instead making them unusable when the time came). When I hold onto these someday/ just in case items they aren't serving me- they are taking up space. And as they brake down over time- they never are useful to anyone else either.
Full disclosure- I might be a little biased about Dana's books. In very early 2020 (just before the pandemic hit) my husband started reading How to manage your home without loosing your mind (for a book study with homework). The homework part I admit made me feel very judged- and I was encouraged to read it as well. And it probably saved my sanity in those months that came next where I was home with all the children all day long. Do the dishes. Just do the dishes.
(I've gone back and reread this one every year since- and will probably continue to do so)
This book is different from the decluttering books, but also it kinda goes hand in hand. It's being receptive to the works Jesus is doing in your life, and having a right relationship with stuff to not impede those works. If you are overwhelmed by the clutter, it's hard to focus on anything else. Dana made the point about that if you are afraid to open the door to anyone there comes a point where you feel like you don't want Jesus to call either because you aren't ready.
It was a really good book, I also bought the audio version because it's read by Dana and you can't go wrong hearing her actual voice! My favorite/ aha moment was about the brand new 20 year old tires. I think everyone has had that sort of moment somewhere. ( They got a trailer that had these brand new tires on it. Except that they weren't actually brand new tires by the time her family had gotten them. They were barely used tires that were new 20 years ago and had been sitting and rotting for the last 20 years instead making them unusable when the time came). When I hold onto these someday/ just in case items they aren't serving me- they are taking up space. And as they brake down over time- they never are useful to anyone else either.
August 23, 2025
I chose this book through a free trial on Audiobooks.com I earned from the BePresent app. It’s not my typical read/listen but the title grabbed my attention. I am a clutter bug, and while I had never thought Jesus cared much about my home’s presentation, Dana K. White spoke of some thoughts I have had deep down surrounding my home and my things.
I didn’t resonate with all of the clutter blindness Dana K. White experiences, I was able to put myself in the shoes of others and understand better for some of my loved ones. I enjoyed the biblical aspects that were presented and I think the author is right- Jesus does not care. But he does care about how you act towards others if you have a messy home.
This excerpt from 2:42 stood out and resonated with me the most:
“Someone will say not doing the dishes is laziness and not picking up after yourself is selfishness. Both are sins but your heart is the key. If I’m leaving a pile of trash on the coffee table because I know I’d I leave it long enough someone else will pick it up that is selfishness. That’s sin. But if I’m as surprised as anyone to see that pile because it’s been building unintentionally that’s not a sin as long as I deal with it. The heart behind the pile is the problem. Sin is a heart issue. If I don’t let someone who needs a place to stay in to my house because of the mess that’s pride, and that’s sin. If they’re judging me because of my house that’s on them and is a sin.”
3.5 stars. At one point near the end, I even started decluttering my downstairs while listening, and felt a weight off my shoulders getting rid of some items that previously held guilt in my mind because it was a gift.
I didn’t resonate with all of the clutter blindness Dana K. White experiences, I was able to put myself in the shoes of others and understand better for some of my loved ones. I enjoyed the biblical aspects that were presented and I think the author is right- Jesus does not care. But he does care about how you act towards others if you have a messy home.
This excerpt from 2:42 stood out and resonated with me the most:
“Someone will say not doing the dishes is laziness and not picking up after yourself is selfishness. Both are sins but your heart is the key. If I’m leaving a pile of trash on the coffee table because I know I’d I leave it long enough someone else will pick it up that is selfishness. That’s sin. But if I’m as surprised as anyone to see that pile because it’s been building unintentionally that’s not a sin as long as I deal with it. The heart behind the pile is the problem. Sin is a heart issue. If I don’t let someone who needs a place to stay in to my house because of the mess that’s pride, and that’s sin. If they’re judging me because of my house that’s on them and is a sin.”
3.5 stars. At one point near the end, I even started decluttering my downstairs while listening, and felt a weight off my shoulders getting rid of some items that previously held guilt in my mind because it was a gift.
October 22, 2025
I read this book with the intention of understanding my husband and in some ways I felt like it helped, but in other ways this felt like cherry picking scripture to be all grace and no action. I know her other books were intended to be the action steps to declutter your house and get organized, but I think the element of understanding yourself in order to make change was grossly underemphasized. We all have a thorn (or 5) that plagues us and I am more than happy to offer grace and empathy for that, but when our actions impact others and we don't do anything to change it, I personally lack empathy but also think we tread into the territory of not loving your neighbor, not being a good steward, etc. I think she started to go there at times because not trying to get better for the sake of your loved ones does reflect a heart issue, but as the tidy one in the house, I felt it was not emphasized enough. This lacked some nuance that I think really could've helped. However, I did take away a lot of things that were only tangentially related. For example, the way sun can get out stains and stink. Light heals. God is light. He is better than any commercially marketed product. We need light to see anything or do anything well. I also really started to think about the things that do plague me consistently and how God may be using those thing to help me become dependent on him, check my egocentrism, etc. There was a fair amount of conviction in the ability to judge others' issues when they're not yours and I will give that more thought. Overall, this was my least favorite of her books but I still enjoy her voice and gentleness.
June 5, 2025
I was the first to read my local library's on-order copy of this book and I'm so thankful for it. I've recently read White's second book (on decluttering)--which I now own--and am eager to reread at once to keep tackling my overstuffed house.
I stumbled across her doing some online video interviews with other decluttering experts who were touting this, her newest book. White made it clear that this one was more focused on Jesus (as the first word of the book title attests)--but she does an excellent job of relating His words and His Word (the Bible) to housecleaning and decluttering concepts. Reading this truly was a worshipful experience, so I thank White for putting the focus on Him.
I also learned more about her journey, both with following Christ, and becoming a hesitant decluttering "expert." It has motivated me to begin daily devotional reading over the summer while my Bible study is on break (we even do the same worldwide study!). Over the past decade and a half that I've been doing that study, summers tend to end up as a break from being in His word regularly (NOT good).
With this third book, as well as the second, I am definitely one of Her People. I thank God for White's openness, her humility, her honesty, her humor(!), and ultimately, for her yielding to His prodding and His plan to use her as He wishes in order to help so many of us who struggle like her.
I pray that my reignited motivation and devotion both for God and decluttering will stay strong to propel me forward and (finally) bring much-needed peace to our home.
Thank you, Dana K. =)
I stumbled across her doing some online video interviews with other decluttering experts who were touting this, her newest book. White made it clear that this one was more focused on Jesus (as the first word of the book title attests)--but she does an excellent job of relating His words and His Word (the Bible) to housecleaning and decluttering concepts. Reading this truly was a worshipful experience, so I thank White for putting the focus on Him.
I also learned more about her journey, both with following Christ, and becoming a hesitant decluttering "expert." It has motivated me to begin daily devotional reading over the summer while my Bible study is on break (we even do the same worldwide study!). Over the past decade and a half that I've been doing that study, summers tend to end up as a break from being in His word regularly (NOT good).
With this third book, as well as the second, I am definitely one of Her People. I thank God for White's openness, her humility, her honesty, her humor(!), and ultimately, for her yielding to His prodding and His plan to use her as He wishes in order to help so many of us who struggle like her.
I pray that my reignited motivation and devotion both for God and decluttering will stay strong to propel me forward and (finally) bring much-needed peace to our home.
Thank you, Dana K. =)
February 11, 2025
Dana K. White does an outstanding job with this book. Jesus Doesn't Care About Your Messy House is a breath of fresh air in a world pushed by busyness.
For those who can't seem to get everything done, it helps to keep the perspective and a reminder of what really is important. Practical and relatable, it feels like you are sitting down chatting with a friend.
"It's assumed that a woman who is admirable and worthy to be praised would have a perfect house."
Cleanliness is next to godliness is a false statement. Often referred as a bible verse. It is not in the Bible. It was a statement made by John Wesley in a sermon in 1778. Although cleanliness is a good thing, we need not get hung up as a spiritual thing. Cleaning is absolutely necessary. Dirt and bacteria can be dangerous to our bodies and health.
Dana shares biblical wisdom for God's purpose and love. Encouragement we all need. She states she is a woman from Texas who figures out how to teach people how to get their homes under control and break their death grip attachments to clutter. This book is well worth reading.
I received a complimentary ebook copy from the publisher, through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own
For those who can't seem to get everything done, it helps to keep the perspective and a reminder of what really is important. Practical and relatable, it feels like you are sitting down chatting with a friend.
"It's assumed that a woman who is admirable and worthy to be praised would have a perfect house."
Cleanliness is next to godliness is a false statement. Often referred as a bible verse. It is not in the Bible. It was a statement made by John Wesley in a sermon in 1778. Although cleanliness is a good thing, we need not get hung up as a spiritual thing. Cleaning is absolutely necessary. Dirt and bacteria can be dangerous to our bodies and health.
Dana shares biblical wisdom for God's purpose and love. Encouragement we all need. She states she is a woman from Texas who figures out how to teach people how to get their homes under control and break their death grip attachments to clutter. This book is well worth reading.
I received a complimentary ebook copy from the publisher, through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own
February 13, 2025
The title of this book captured my attention immediately. Believe me, it isn't fun to feel guilty about a messy house! My Mom was the ultimate housewife, and I learned early that I couldn't measure up to her standards. After reading this book, I was reminded that the messiness of my house isn't what God sees in me. He sees my thoughts, my actions, and the condition of my heart so any concern I feel should be associated with these things. These are the things I need to work on!
Author Dana K. White doesn't condone laziness, and she doesn't promote perfection. There are tips to help us declutter, encouragement to keep us going, and inspiration from God's Word. We are reminded that God's Grace has nothing to do with an immaculate house or a clean heart: it is a gift freely given that can never be earned.
This is a well-written book laced with humor and heartfelt advice. I recommend "Jesus Doesn't Care About Your Messy House: He Cares About Your Heart"!
I received a copy from the author via FrontGate Women's Blogger Network. There was no obligation for a positive review.
I invite you to read my full review @https://connie-oldersmarter.blogspot....
Author Dana K. White doesn't condone laziness, and she doesn't promote perfection. There are tips to help us declutter, encouragement to keep us going, and inspiration from God's Word. We are reminded that God's Grace has nothing to do with an immaculate house or a clean heart: it is a gift freely given that can never be earned.
This is a well-written book laced with humor and heartfelt advice. I recommend "Jesus Doesn't Care About Your Messy House: He Cares About Your Heart"!
I received a copy from the author via FrontGate Women's Blogger Network. There was no obligation for a positive review.
I invite you to read my full review @https://connie-oldersmarter.blogspot....
October 14, 2025
I liked this book a lot more than I expected. Dana gives the gospel with beautiful clarity, showing how it applies even to our clutter and housecleaning. I especially appreciated her points about accepting the way God made my brain, and how even our weaknesses are part of His best plan. I cried when I read how Jesus knows exactly what has overwhelmed me and kept me from cleaning my house perfectly, and He isn’t mad at me about it. Taking care of my home matters, but it doesn’t affect how Jesus sees me - He loves and accepts me fully, no matter what! This is a truth I need to hear often, and even though the book felt a little repetitive and somewhat disjointed (especially in the latter half), it was good to be hit with the same things over and over. I don’t have to (and can’t) earn God’s love or approval….I already have it, in Jesus.
Also, so grateful Dana took this big step to write such a solidly Christian, gospel-focused book! That takes a ton of courage. Doubtless it will alienate some of her followers, but I pray it will bring many others to a fresh knowledge of God’s love and what Jesus has done for them.
Also, so grateful Dana took this big step to write such a solidly Christian, gospel-focused book! That takes a ton of courage. Doubtless it will alienate some of her followers, but I pray it will bring many others to a fresh knowledge of God’s love and what Jesus has done for them.
February 17, 2025
𝐉𝐞𝐬𝐮𝐬 𝐃𝐨𝐞𝐬𝐧’𝐭 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐀𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐌𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐲 𝐇𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞 is everything I’d hoped it’d be. The title could give various first impressions, but in all fairness, its meaning is pure and encourages us to allow our struggles to draw us nearer to God.
I’m one of those weirdos that really enjoys organizing and cleaning. Now that doesn’t mean I ALWAYS enjoy it, but deep down I find it deeply satisfying. Still, I could relate to the analogy in this book and title, because we all have our own struggles and need to be diligent in not letting them get in the way of peace, joy, and fellowship with Christ.
I appreciate the author’s down-to-earth conversational tone, making it easy to sink into the spiritual messages she conveys. I especially love a section near the end of the book titled, Jesus at the Door, sharing a personal story that is effortless to relate to and drives the central message of the book home.
Genre: Women’s Christian Living
Author: Dana K. White
Page Count: 240
#CoverLoverBookReview received an advanced reader copy of this book. Opinions are 100% my own.
I’m one of those weirdos that really enjoys organizing and cleaning. Now that doesn’t mean I ALWAYS enjoy it, but deep down I find it deeply satisfying. Still, I could relate to the analogy in this book and title, because we all have our own struggles and need to be diligent in not letting them get in the way of peace, joy, and fellowship with Christ.
I appreciate the author’s down-to-earth conversational tone, making it easy to sink into the spiritual messages she conveys. I especially love a section near the end of the book titled, Jesus at the Door, sharing a personal story that is effortless to relate to and drives the central message of the book home.
Genre: Women’s Christian Living
Author: Dana K. White
Page Count: 240
#CoverLoverBookReview received an advanced reader copy of this book. Opinions are 100% my own.
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