The Clutter Fairy Weekly #142

Ask Us Anything: Unfinished Projects, Micro-/Macro-organizers, Common Mistakes

In this “Ask Us Anything” episode, we answer your questions and discuss topics suggested by our viewers and listeners.

In this episode:

  • How many unfinished projects is too many?
  • Micro- versus macro-organizing styles
  • Recap: the five most common organizing mistakes

In episode #142 of The Clutter Fairy Weekly, Gayle Goddard, professional organizer and owner of The Clutter Fairy in Houston, Texas, answers audience questions and discusses these topics, as well as other organizing and decluttering issues.

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Weekly Tittle

The Weekly Tittle is an exercise designed to focus your attention on a specific space, aspect, or challenge of decluttering and organizing your home. We assign a new tittle in each webcast/podcast, then check on your progress the following week.

Culling the Project Herd

This week’s assignment is to evaluate unfinished projects to identify any that no longer deserve to be taking up space in your home and your head:

  • Make an inventory of incomplete projects. Name each project and jot down a few tasks or steps required to complete the project.
  • Assess the status of each project by answering these questions:
    • Does the project still interest you?
    • Do you have the skills, tools, and materials you need to complete the project?
    • When was the last time you worked on it?
    • What is keeping you from working on the project this week?
    • How much time will be required to complete this project?
    • Do you still have an active need or interest in the end result?
  • Give each project a grade or score based on your answers to those questions.
  • Reflect on whether you’re ready to let go of one—or more—of your lowest-ranking projects.
  • For any projects you’re ready to release, gift or donate unused raw materials, tools, etc., to someone else who can put them to use.

For the full discussion of this week’s tittle, watch the Weekly Tittle segment on YouTube.

2 replies
  1. Anna
    Anna says:

    What great advice to make an inventory of all projects. I sat down and wrote down all my projects and categorized them from 1 (yay) to 4 (what was I thinking), using the questions above. I have now donated the materials for the two projects that got a 4. I also made an appointment with myself in 6 months time to go through my list and ask myself the same questions again. It will be an opportunity to see how many projects I actually get done in half a year. I have made a promise to myself not to start anything until I have finished all projects on my list. I so needed this. Thanks so much!

  2. Marsh
    Marsh says:

    This was soooo good a Tittle. Being given these simple skill(s) and encouragement to set this outline than following my own algorithms, promoting the clutter or demoting the clutter as I decided the importance of scoring each category. Wow one of the bestests early Christmas present (s) I EVER got. Thank you Santa (s) Gayle n Ed…so much..I even went into the new year 2023 = I see clarity for me!

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