The Clutter Fairy Weekly Survey #175 Results
Maintaining or Re-cluttering Previously Cleared Space
Below are the results of our survey about audience experiences related to the topic for episode #175 of The Clutter Fairy Weekly. If you haven’t already done so, please take the survey.
Are You a Clutter Recidivist?
We asked our audience members, “How successful have you been at maintaining a space or collection in the finished state after a completed decluttering project?”
Note: Hover over any pie slice to see the name of the category and the number of respondents who selected that answer. (Mobile users: Click on the slices for details.)
Full Responses
To view the detailed survey response from any respondent, click on their name in the table below. (You may also find it easier to read long responses in the detailed view.)
| Name (click to view full survey response and comments) | How successful have you been at maintaining a space or collection in the finished state after a completed decluttering project? | What habits, attitudes, events, people, or other factors contribute to your tendency to re-clutter the space? | What habits, mindsets, practices, or other factors contribute to your ability to successfully maintain a previously cluttered space? | In which collections or categories of stuff are you most inclined to re-clutter? | Fill in the blank: “When I finish my current decluttering/organizing project, I’m going to treat myself to ___.” |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joyce | Very unsuccessful | All of the above examples and then some | I don’t think I’m successful at maintaining as I am not the only person in this household with this problem. | Clothes, food, magazines and office supplies are probably my biggest problem areas. But then again what else is left? | Sitting back and relaxing |
| Ellen in W Michigan | Somewhat successful | Because stores are not close and I dislike driving and shopping, especially in bad weather, I tend to "stock up" on some things in my kitchen. Mostly food staples and temporary food storage that I use when I make food to give to other people. I use most of it eventually, but sometimes the amount annoys me. | I try not to buy anything that isn't a consumable without thinking first if I really need it and where I will put it. If I buy a newer/nicer item, the old one has to go instead of keeping a just-in-case extra. I have replaced very, very few things in my kitchen and recently got 3 new pairs of shoes and got rid of 3 pairs. This was a huge step forward for me. | Oddly enough, clothes. I hate shopping for clothes and spending money on clothes so if I see something I like or on sale, I tend to overbuy so that I don't have to shop again for a long time. I recently lost some weight and have a box of clothes to donate, including some nearly new. I find myself feeling like I need to replace some of them (I don't usually have a whole lot.), but am trying to commit to living with what I have for awhile. I also could have donated more, but am afraid of then spending money to replace. I have 5 sweatshirts and 2 sweaters. Part of me wants to donate the larger sweatshirts, but am afraid I will then find a need to replace them. | Hopefully, more time and attention to read. |
| Anita | Somewhat unsuccessful | OK, two things: I just don’t like to put things away right away. “I can do that later“ is a constant refrain. My desk, my never empty desktop, are always the result of delayed decisions, and delayed action in favor of something more pressing or more interesting to do. I’ve made some progress with the mail “fire hose“ by standing over the recycling bin in the kitchen and pitching as much of it as I can as it is received daily. However, I’m still a sucker for those heart rending charity requests, which now make it onto my desk and go in a pile while I decide if I’m going to donate this month or next month or not at all. I have a friend who comes in to help me with filing, but I realized that, although she knows the system for my filing cabinet, some of the mail that comes in has to go into the files that are just by my knees in the desk, and if I don’t do that right away, they pile up. | My paper recycling waste basket is a pull out drawer in my kitchen right behind the regular kitchen garbage drawer. I find I can get rid of the newspaper minutes after I read it because I know I can always get the same information from the online edition, and unless an envelope is “ lumpy” and maybe not immediately recyclable I’m getting to the point where I can take the charities that I know I’m not going to donate to, and pitch them without even opening them. | My desk is number one, followed by my clothes, closets. I recently gained some weight and had to buy some new clothes, but have not yet been able to get rid of the 14 or so pieces of clothing, mostly dresses, because I’m waiting for my local thrift shop to start taking in new stock again. | One new plant-either a Venus fly trap for the house or a reblooming daylily for the outside garden. |
| Ginger | Very successful | An unexpected event creating temporary chaos. For example: Husband’s medical condition needing lots of medical supplies caused my beautifully decluttered and organized bathroom linen closet to become stuffed with extra new stuff. | I’ve followed FlyLady’s routines for 10 years. Our home is divided into zones. I touch each zone every month. One of my tasks is to declutter or tidy these areas. I may not do it every month - but the previously decluttered areas are easier to maintain and keep tidy. | I’m not inclined to reclutter areas. I’m not a shopper - so I’m not bringing more into the house. But, I struggle to declutter a few other areas that I just haven’t done yet or areas needing another decluttering round now. | House cleaning service. |
| Lenette | Somewhat successful | As I continue my purge project, I am constantly rethinking where I want to store the items I keep. That will cause me to move items already decluttered and organized to a new area so that I can use the previous area for something else. | Staying out of the stores so that I'm not bringing new items into the house. | I tend to overstock paper goods. Paper towels, bathroom tissue and nose tissues. But at least its all usable and does eventually get used. I rotate it. I think I secretly fear another shortage. | A day of staying in my jammies and binge watching decluttering videos on YouTube. |
| Kristin | Somewhat unsuccessful | I cleaned and organized a section in the garage. My husband then uses this space just to plop stuff that he wants out of the house. sigh | I try to keep up with the cleaning right after the activity (shopping, meals, etc) | closets and garage | a great meal out, complete with wine, appetizers, and dessert, and not worry about the bill amount |
| Jane | Very successful | Because things keep coming in (some out of my control like the mail), I've had to develop new habits. I now have a system to handle mail as it comes in. In addition, I use a "one-in two-out" rule when shopping for anything that's not a need. For wants rather than needs, I ask myself if I'm willing to let two things go if I get the new item. That's reduced the number of things that come in while I'm continuing my decluttering journey. | A meal out. That's actually something I do every time a friend comes to help me declutter anyway. 🙂 | ||
| Katharine | Somewhat successful | Still haven’t created better habits dealing with paper. Hard time saying no thanks, when people offer items. The open space is yelling to be filled up.🤪 | I created questions/reasons why items can or cannot enter my home. Applying what I’ve learned including post notes to remind me. | My craft/workshop space gets filled quick. Items come home for projects, yet until I work on it, the area gets overwhelming until it’s all cleaned up. | Ice cream |
| Anonymous user | Very unsuccessful | I am not quite sure. I do shuffle things to different areas. I definitely need to get rid of more things than I have. | Haven't been that successful. | I did give away or store some of the dishes so that the cupboards aren't so crowded. | a short vacation |
| Cindi | Very unsuccessful | In the past, the problem is definitely the mail, and all of the other things I want to do is having a home, family, bills, school papers, etc. Now, it’s all the other stuff. I keep a small oval tray to place my keys, a small aluminum case for my cards; ID, health, insurance, debit card, and I also have learned it’s great to keep my auto insurance cut to size and my lip balm in this small case. All of those items are on the end of the buffet, which works beautifully. Any other things that would normally go in my purse that I don’t necessarily need right then I keep to the side of this, BUT, that is clutter!!! in the middle of my beautiful Buffay is a large glass that is cut in an oval shape. I have no idea who cut it from my grandfather but I’m pretty sure he did it for my grandmother. This glass is awesome! I love working at this buffet! I can see through my living room and breakfast area into my backyard and out for about a mile. What a blessing! Anyway, I tend to put papers having to do with bills that I want to review and a myriad of other things on this surface. | Before I start working in my dining room, which is where the buffet is, I get “dressed to shoes”, I must have my eye contacts on, I must’ve eaten and had something to drink. Obviously, you’re asking what do I actually do? I have started working on this room in a myriad of ways, one item at a time, one section at a time, stuff that’s on the floor, etc. I’ve also noticed that I tend to bring things to the area closest to the kitchen to be washed because I don’t want them to be in the kitchen unless there’s room to clean the item. Buy this I’m talking about a container that I brought in from the garage to clean or an ice cooler that I use for keeping things cold in my car, etc. | The dining room, the end of the kitchen counter, my bathroom counter, although I’ve learned to keep my facial cleanser in a basket with a handle, and a washcloth draped over the handle and stashed under the counter. Then there’s the garage. I’ve literally been working out there since January and it is now July 22 and I’m still going out there each morning in order to get my car, which I purchased in late January, in on side of the garage. And then there’s the upstairs…😯 | Whatever I want. Lol |
| Yvonne | Somewhat successful | Not having a designated home for items that were in the decluttered space, lead to re-cluttering | Moving the shredder next to the door, so all junk mail is tossed immediately Getting support from other family members to keep the area clear | My closet, dresser, and craft area refuse to receive the decluttering memo | a new fountain pen |
| Brenda | Somewhat successful | Objects seem to accumulate as time goes on | I dont wish to become a hoarder like my mother Especially when I returned from my mother's house and as I entered my own I needed to step over quite a few items and decided then and there I needed to change | Books and papers were my downfall But I have gone from a spare room with wall to wall bookcases floor to ceiling to the smallest bookcase (1) I own (fits in the hallway) As for paper I am trying to go digital where I can and sifting through the rest | Go to the movies with a friend |
| Anonymous user | Somewhat successful | New stuff comes in since massive April decluttering. So there are some new clothes and crafting materials. But the real problem is having items near where I will see them. My out of sight out of mind memory creates small clutter piles near chairs. | I re set my large dining room/living room/studio/and office when I'm expecting company. Also, I make my bed daily. Also I vacuum weekly, wash dishes almost daily, and clean toilet and sink in bathroom almost daily. | My dining room table and table between two upholstered chairs both get piles of papers of important papers with tasks I must remember. Lately I have set one corner of room as "command central" and I'm trying to organize it to have all important papers, maybe with the exception of a daily/weekly to do list and my paper calendar. | enjoying the space & feeling good |
| Anonymous user | I have never completed a decluttering project to what I would consider a finished state. | House guests cause me to stuff-shuffle because I do so much at the dining room table instead of in the overstuffed "office." Stuff-shuffling means projects get jumbled, and, depending on other events, I might not get back to at least some of the piles for years. I've had a hard time figuring out how to clear the office to make it usable while other tasks and events keep appearing on my to-do list. Can't seem to catch up... | Looking at a clean, organized, decluttered space brings satisfaction and a feeling of peace. But this is too rare of an occasion. | Paper, paper, paper! I've gotten much better at not letting myself clip too many items from the newspaper (but that may be largely because there is hardly anything in the newspaper anymore). But insurance papers keep showing up, other mail, etc. 2-3 years ago I did stop all magazine subscriptions. | I guess my problem is that I don't have a single project; everything needs attention... |
| Anonymous user | Very successful | Set it down on flat surface (no surprise)... because it doesn't have a home or more is required to take care of it or put it away. ie mail, doing dishes, incomplete projects. Clothing: hang it up, put in drawer, or wash it first. Groceries: get out what you need to make meal, put off putting it all away. | Try to make an effort to reset any small area before bed. Also, reminding myself regularly of David Allen's 2 minute rule... do it now. Challenge myself by setting 2 minute timer to beat the clock. | Dirty dishes | Champagne!. (non alcoholic for me) |
| Anonymous user | Somewhat unsuccessful | Other household members ignore the way things are supposed to be organized. | I limit the number of things that I can store in that space. | Paper…bills, bank statements, medical records. Work papers, school papers etc. New paper clutter arrived each day. | New workout clothes |
| Anonymous user | Somewhat successful | Drop zones and areas of constant usage are the hardest to maintain due to the number of people and toddlers. | Constant rotation back to problem areas to straighten up or declutter and return things to their home | Kitchen counters, toy areas, mail drop zones | A few uninterrupted minutes |
| Anonymous user | Somewhat successful | My re-clutter area is my closet. I do a major de-clutter, then gradually buy more clothes and it ends up a mess again. My closet is small and hard to manage. I see you-tubers with closets the size of a room and amazing organizing systems but that is not the space we have. I need less clothes, but I love and enjoy clothes, and I am keeping some classic expensive clothes for when I lose weight. And I do mean 'when' not 'if'! Menopause has hit me hard but I am going to fight it back! | I am constantly weeding or as Gayle says 'filtering' - or her Texan 'thinning the herd' which I love! I try to look at my spaces as a stranger would, so that I am not getting so used to a space being cluttered that I become blind to it. I try to keep fresh eyes. | Closet - your example in the above description is me to a 't'. | A glass of wine and a dance to loud music |
| Noreen | Somewhat successful | I tend to buy more items that can overrun the space. | I do a quarterly reset and always find items to declutter | I am most likely to re-clutter in decor and clothing | Lunch |
| Janis | Somewhat successful | Timing, as in, "stuff it somewhere out of sight". Construction workers interrupting projects for a year. | I reset my living room every night (my mom always did this) and the bedroom every morning. Bed is made. | Purging my clothes every summer has been helpful, since I donate to a church women's clothing sale that is held every year in the fall. (Except during the Covid adventure) HOWEVER, my storage closet is the point of concern, it's so easy to just "put something in there". LOL | A nap. |
| Glenna | Very unsuccessful | I take things out to do a project and leave it, then I got distracted with other activities or projects, and get more stuff out. Then I continue to bring stuff in the house and things get piled in layers without ever being put away. Then this stuff either doesn’t have a home to go to, or I want it out because I’m going to do the “thing“ and I don’t want to put it away because I’m afraid then I won’t do it. I need it out as a visual reminder to do. | I can keep my bathroom sink clear of items if I put them away after use each day. I may not keep other areas clear, but I can keep this one space done by just taking one minute to do it. It has become a successful habit that I can maintain. | Any counter spaces or the dining room table. Also, my closet has never been maintained even after getting everything put away. | Something delicious to eat like takeout that I wouldn’t normally buy. It qualifies as a treat or reward. |
| Erica | Somewhat successful | I feel the need to re stock supplies when they're on sale | I was honest with myself about what I actually use. Got rid of my hair dryer and curling iron. Dumped years worth of nail polish. | Cleaning supplies. I buy them on sale but don't use them fast enough. | A glorious 3 hour nap |
| Pamela | Somewhat successful | The project I thought about was my bathroom closet. I store extra make-up, toilet paper, medicine, cleaning supplies, and other toiletries there. I am in the closet daily. The frequency of it’s use and the amount of small items constantly being stored and used seems to create a tendency for it to be recluttered. | For my bathroom closet, I use the container concept. I have baskets and boxes that I store similar items in together. I try to keep the products I use the most stored at eye level and in easy reach. I also have taken an “after photo” so that I can remember what I want it to look like. I have found that once I decluttered and organized this closet it is so much easier to redo. It took a morning to complete the first time but the second time (after about three years ) it took less than an hour to do. I Also had fewer decisions to make since I had made them on a previous declutter mission. If it was expired, I threw it out. If it was on the wrong shelf, I knew where it needed to go. | OTC medicines and make-up are two categories that seem to be easy for me to re-clutter. One or two doses of medicine remain and I get into a new box or bottle. Those make up people in stores want to load you up with give aways and samples so that you end up with bunches of product. They are great for travel ,but as I have gotten older, I travel less so my need for them has become less. | Binging a series on Netflix. |
| Mel | Very unsuccessful | Every flat surface keeps getting filled. | Put things away as I finish with them and reset areas. | My kitchen table. | a calm clean organized kitchen. |
| PJ | Very successful | Emails with sales - they are my catnip. I end up with things that promised to be so useful but I really didn't need them. I've been working on unsubscribing from so many - but they just come out of nowhere. I'm sure I didn't sign up for all of these things | Pride in the new space - the feeling of room to move, it's clean, the air can circulate, you just get a rush from looking at it & thinking - yeah, I'm an adult 🙂 I always take before & after photos as you can forget how much you've achieved - for big jobs I also take "in-between" photos so I can see the progress, which keeps me motivated. It's so much easier to reset an area when it's been tackled, and I keep the mindset that if someone called to come round, I could have the public areas ready for them in maximum 15 minutes (living room, kitchen & bathroom). Don't ask me about the bombsite behind the bedroom door - that's the huge work in progress! | Jewellery, clothes & books. I have phases where I wear a "uniform" of a sort, to keep things simple, but then the emails with sales come in & there are so many other options out there. My brain needs a bit of variety, and I find it hard to declutter the "old" uniform as it served me so well for a while. | An afternoon of crosswords & very good coffee in the garden |
| Sandra | Somewhat successful | As I’m disabled and have to ask my care staff to put things in places for me some areas end up piled up with stuff as I’ve got no help anymore to be able to clear the things piling up or to continue sorting | Having extremely clear labelling so that my care staff know exactly where to put stuff away in | Where my care staff don’t know exactly where to put stuff away so they just put it somewhere in the correct room usually on my craft room desk or in the storeroom but not away in the correct place so theses areas then become piled up | |
| Leslee | Somewhat successful | It's the fact that my mindset is "I'll NEVER use or need these tools or utensils AGAIN" and gawd sure enough I have to replace things and they get in the right drawer but not sorted properly. Like I'm a guilty so and so for the initial waste. | I'm pretty tidy to begin with and really prefer to have things set Just right from a "tone and balance" from a decor perspective. What gets out of hand is the " future self projects. | Stationary supplies. Blank paper, pens, envelopes. I think I have like three drawers as I move throughout my house. I do tidy up but then the notes to myself pile up. | A bike ride |
| Anonymous user | Very successful | The laundry room is a repeat offender. I’ve decluttered it multiple times but it has yet to submit to a constant state of beautiful. Grrrrr! | I make a point to keep the kitcheb clean before I go to bed, I.e. clean sink, load dishwasher, wipe down countertop. | My laundry room becomes a drop zone for EVERYTHING! | a happier life. |
| Julianne | Very successful | The kitchen counter is the only space that continually attracts clutter. There are items coming into or out of the house as well as various papers that make their way to the counter. | The one in, one out rule is invaluable and I have limits to how many items I can keep in certain categories. Those limits have shrunk in recent years. I used to allow myself to keep 20 pairs of shoes. Now it's 18 pairs. Decor must have personal meaning not just be something from Home Goods or Amazon. The stained glass a relative made has meaning. A random print from the store doesn't so there aren't any in my home. | I don't reclutter categories of items such as clothes or sports equipment. My problem is keeping the kitchen counter clear of random stuff. | A clear counter (for maybe five minutes.) |
| Kara | Somewhat successful | I make a big effort to sort, file and shred papers, but then I think I should be done for all time! (On the whole, I do deal with incoming mail so much more effectively, but it’s things I need to file or shred that I don’t attend to on a regular basis) | I endeavor to reset the kitchen every night. If it looks like too much, I set a timer for five minutes and go, go, go. Also, I like to run the dishwasher at night and unload it while I’m waiting for the coffee to brew. | The counter in my office. Paper and odds and ends. Closet. I have too many of one thing - ie scarves and sweaters or white tank tops (???!!) even though I do go through the closet pretty regularly, I don’t declutter everything. | Oooh! Let’s see. A massage. |
| Yani | Very unsuccessful | I was a habitual shoppers & I swear I own everything from Michael's Art's & Craft, Dollar Store & the Baking department at any store, that Now when I visit these stores I walk out with nothing as everything they have, sadly is cluttering my home😔. | I have none!! | My hobbies, baking, sewing, scrapbooking are always out of control!! | Sit down & enjoy the clear space. |
| Anonymous user | Somewhat successful | Stuff just keeps appearing in the drawer so every so often I go through the drawer and remove what doesn't belong or what is no longer needed. | I think to myself a phrase I read,:"Do something your future self will be thankful for," and it often gives me the motivation needed to do something I don't want to do like tidying up an area. | moving | |
| Jeanne | Very successful | The men in my house just do not return items to their home. If I do not constantly pick up, the house will quicklu become a mess. | I do three whole house walkthroughs a day. Every trash night, I do a whole hojse declutter plus I declutter three items a day. | I am on a good schedule but others are not. | DQ vanilla cone |
| Margaret | Very successful | I tend to buy more clothes as my weight changes and to not get rid of clothes in case I can some day wear them again. | I like choosing clothes from my dresser now that it is organized. The Marie Kondo method of folding clothes and putting them in a drawer on end so you can see them all without having to search through stacks was an eye-opener. I have one drawer of pants, one drawer of shirts, one drawer of intimates, one drawer of medications and other similar necessities, one half drawer of jewelry and make-up, and one half drawer of beach towel, swimsuit, etc., all in one dresser. I have given myself an environmental challenge to see how many months I can go without buying new clothes (usually it is one outfit or fewer per year; not counting underwear or swimsuits since swimming is my main exercise). If I get something new I have to get rid of something to make more room in the drawer. This has worked for, wow, nearly 10 years now! I need to expand this idea into the rest of my clutter/organized areas. | Home office papers and supplies - this is command central for my life and several projects are underway and then another project comes along. I feel like I need backup ink cartridges, several kinds/colors of blank paper and card stock and graph paper, just the right pen/pencil/marker, filing supplies, paper clips, binders, scissors labeled for paper or for fabric or for let-the-husband/kid-borrow-this-pair-cause-you-know-it-won't-be-returned-anytime-soon, tape measure, rulers, yard sticks, etc, etc., etc. Just realized that others borrowing my supplies is part of the problem; I had forgotten that years ago i had setup a communal place for household use and hidden my stuff but then they never put their supplies back and found my stash and I just gave up and would buy myself more supplies. Now that we are remodeling I keep finding more and more "lost" supplies. | A long hot shower in my remodeled bathroom. Plus flowers in the new breakfast area. |
| Lela | Very successful | Before my daughter left home it was more difficult simply because we had more stuff. | I limit items to a certain space or container. I don't care as much anymore about "just in case" items because I realized how truly rare it is that I ever need them again. Even if I do need an object I've decluttered, there's usually a simple solution to accomplish whatever I'm doing without the item (use some other item, complete the project in a different way, etc). | My small To-Do pile is always there on the kitchen counter, mocking me. Lol Every time I clear the area, a new piece of mail arrives that requires action, an object I borrowed needs to go back to someone, an item needs repaired, a shopping list reforms, etc. | relaxing in my clean home with a smile on my face and very little dust or grime around me. |
| Terrie | I have never completed a decluttering project to what I would consider a finished state. | My hobby and my constant scarcity mindset. I papercraft and it’s expensive and has a bunch of tools that are useful. So, my crazy craft room is not usable as a space for working at all. Just a store room. I hired a professional to help get me out from under. We didn’t finish as my money ran out for her. I tried alone with no success. It’s been getting even worse. Kind of an uphill upheaval!! If I start in there I’ll ruin the rest of my hoarder apartment. My apartment that I share with my husband is a crazy craft apartment now as I work in the bedroom, the dining/yoga space and my living area. Only the laundry room and bathrooms are left. I do actually have craft stuff in the laundry room. Ugh. I listen and watch and set up new habits. It just all crashes down. I have adhd and some other challenges so the clutter has clutter babies. | Craft items for paper crafting and the odd bit of fabric and jewelry making stuff. My home isa Micheal’s craft store almost. I’ll never live long enough to use one tenth. Yet I cannot let it go. I did let my record albums go. 400 of them. But I can’t get up and down as I could when I was buying most of my record albums. I kept buying new music. But, not at the same pace. They became obsolete. I can’t think of paper for me ever being obsolete. I don’t love digital as much as analog. Doing with my hands away from all computers is so freeing. | A beautiful clean and alive space | |
| Anonymous user | Somewhat unsuccessful | Kitchen island is dumping ground for miscellaneous items. Items come and don't leave. I clear and it piles back up. Tired of asking everyone to pick up after themselves. Problem is the items aren't that important to them. Sometimes I just trash items instead of repeating myself | I make sure kitchen area where preparing and cooking is cleaned and reset nightly even if I'm up till midnight. Refuse to let that go undone | Papers(help) I clear shred and toss, see some leadway then get caught up in things for others and my paperwork gets worse than before. | Sleep and vacation get away if no more than a weekend |
| Linda | Somewhat successful | It is paper clutter, and paper is always coming into the home. | Paper that comes into the home. | Enjoying the tidy space. 🙂 | |
| Fumio Groupie | Somewhat successful | Not having good organization systems - stuff gets pulled out and not put back. Things are better now that I am separating stuff/volume I need for everyday/week access and what is back-stock. | I hate mess, I feel the burden of the sheer weight of stuff. Only having stuff out that we use daily, being able to see what fresh produce I have so when my housemate is doing the shopping I can overcome my panic hoarder greed and just ask for what I know I can reasonably use up before it goes bad. Got rid of dining room table so we have room for shelves so store what used to be piled on the dining table (we both eat in front of our computers/tv). We both live fairly simple lives (cooking, washing, crafting, etc.) Minimizing the effort to put things away (having everthing that I use each day next to my comfy chair - vitamins, sewing kit, a few books - two computers, a printer (for work things) steel bucket to hold my drink - thinking about where I use things and how often (this needs reviewing every couple weeks - swap out books, store the overlfow sewing supplies that I rarely use with the other sewing backstock, etc. My time and energy are very limited so everything needs to be chosen (or more often NOT chosen) and arranged with that as the first priority. | Hmmm, stocking up on pantry dry goods (grains, lentils, etc) - since organic is very expensive in my relatively small town, those 10lb bags from amazon are very tempting........... | Watching more Clutter Fairy of course!!!!!!!! (stupid question, mutter, mutter) 🙂 |
| Jetta | Somewhat successful | I have trouble staying on top of the paperwork that comes in, notes and lists I make, etc and it clutters my desk. | I don’t buy any decorative item unless I know exactly where it will be placed and what I’ll need to discard to make room for it. I keep my daily makeup in an open container that I store in a drawer. I pull it out when needed and put it back when finished. I have containers for the grandkids’ toys and discard items that they outgrow. | I go through my clothes towards the end of each summer and winter and am surprised by the items I discard. How did I add that many more items during those six months? | |
| Anonymous user | Somewhat successful | It's a bit of a "drop zone". Groceries, purse, restaurant leftovers, projects.... spend a bit of time here until they are dealt with. Some things taking longer than others to nestle in their proper place. | Embarrassment motivates me. | Food. Dry pantry and freezer. While shopping, I am not able to recollect whether I have an item or not. Or, I'll go digging in the freezer for something that I'm sure is there, but cannot find it. It's there, I'm just not recognizing it when I see it. | |
| Anonymous user | Somewhat unsuccessful | The mail keeps coming, I am too tired to deal with it, I am utterly overwhelmed by the amount of tasks facing me, I can't prioritize, I have no sense of time (yes, ADD) but I also have a lot on my plate, a sick husband, a full time job, selling a house long distance, and setting up financial stuff here.... mostly it's medical and financial stuff that has me overwhelmed. So....paper..... | Getting enough sleep. I clean up the kitchen every night... and clear the dishwasher every morning while coffee is brewing. Kitchen stays under control this way. My bullet journal helps me with listing and getting "impossible tasks" done. Time Timer helps me focus on the really "difficult-for-me" tasks. | Paperwork. | A vacation. I have not had one in over four years. |
| SM | Very successful | Paperwork breeds if not tended daily. | If it can be done in two minutes or less, do it right away. Clear the table and sweep the floor after every meal and at bedtime. Place a basket or tray where things tend to pile up, so that you can remove them easily. | Business paperwork is never ending. The filing cabinet is my best friend. | A movie |
| Terri | Very unsuccessful | I put paperwork that needs to be tended to or filed on the dining room table. When it gets too bad, I put it in a "to be filed" box. Then, the pile seeds resprout. | Hmmmm, looking forward to hearing some ideas. I do deal with my mail as soon as it is delivered | Kitchen counter - putting away clean dishes that I have taken from the dishwasher - clearing the sink by putting the dirty dishes in the dishwasher - taking the recyclables out to the official bin | extra time to read a book |
| Evelin | Somewhat successful | I like buying clothes and as my weight changes I´m almost forced to buy new stuff. | The more I declutter, the more mindful I am with shopping. If I see something in the store I automatically think "if you buy it, you will have to declutter it in a few months". Also I try to declutter regularly. | finished and unfinished craft projects float around the house all the time. | shopping (for more clutter *lol*) |
| Joy | Very successful | I follow the Minimalists and they keep me motivated. | I would say that clothing is the area where I am most tempted to reclutter. | a banana split. | |
| Karen H. | Somewhat successful | Always rushing, don't stop to put things away. Easily distracted and jumping from task to task | I recently reorganized a section of my pantry for staples like flour, sugar, pasta, etc. I found a brand of clear airtight containers that I really liked and I've been buying them up every time I run across them at Marshalls or At Home stores. Now I have four shelves completed filled with these containers and when you look into the pantry from any spot in the kitchen that is what is visible. I'm very pleased with how it looks, even my kids have commented on it. It's easy to see what you're looking for, grab it, and return it to the right place. | Papers! Email! | Nice long bubble bath. |
| Anonymous user | Somewhat unsuccessful | ||||
| Peggy | Very successful | I’m often tempted to buy additions or replacements for things… but for the most part, I resist. My habits include daily pick ups (most days) and regular purging when an area comes to my attention. I would not say I’m “finished” though 🙂 | I do daily tidy most days and I don’t buy decor | Haha my coffee mugs multiply because I buy what I think I like then discover it’s too big or? Recently I swapped out a couple of mugs my husband uses (with his okay). They were getting chipped so I swapped them with mugs I had bought and the new ones work better for him. | “Dreams of a massage” |
| CHRISTINE | paper work...depresses me, so I let it pile up | a day at the seashore, just watching the water, and going to nice bakery near the beach | |||
| Diana | Somewhat successful | When I’m really into a craft, I buy “someday” materials, way too many. I’m not crafting right now and it’s given me an opportunity to think about this. Some spaces stay decluttered for the most part although I want to stick to one in, one out, and sometimes I don’t think about it. | I do lots of resets in various places. I do it in the morning when I’m most alert and energetic. My husband resets the kitchen when he goes to bed, which is great. I do need to work on one in, one out. I said before that I don’t have a craft going right now, but I do have a hobby, which is gardening. It’s new to me and I’ve bought lots and lots of things for it and I need to organize those. | Not too much, especially as I’m becoming more mindful about it. | The peace it brings me. |
| Anonymous user | Somewhat successful | I don’t HAVE to fill a space. I can leave some room so things can breathe! | I set limits to how much or many is enough, I tidy daily so I have time ( and inclination) to declutter spaces every day. It’s amazing how fast the stuff in cabinets breeds.. | My someday stuff. | A trip to Nova Scotia! |
| millie | Very successful | One in one out rule. Also setting a boundary on where items can live. | Drop zone/hot spot where I place things when I come into the house. | a trip | |
| Inanna | Somewhat unsuccessful | Any table or other empty surface cries out, "This is the place to put whatever came in the mail or whatever you just brought into the house!" I am not organized. I do not know what the "belonging place" is for what comes in the mail or for whatever I just brought home, unless it's an item of decor. I no longer buy new decor items. I have more than enough of them and they look lovely except for the chair piledwith objects. My elephant collection is complete. My candlestick collection is full. My candlabra collection occupies complete surfaces in two different rooms. My chamsah collection takes up a complete wall plus a small table. I have gotten rid of most of my stuffed animals. But I have stacks and stacks of papers. Unread mail. Also my own writing--revisions of chapters for a novel. Revisions of chapters of a finished memoir. Revisions of chapters of another novel which will have 70 thousand words total whenever I finish the last two adventures and the wrap-up. Hand-outs and notes from half=a=dozen different classes.and whatever books I am reading on health or one or two other important topics. Medical records, variously filed under "medical" "doctor" and various specialties and names of doctors. . I am beyond knowing where to put any of this stuff. Much of it probably is no longer needed. | I almost never buy new decorative items. Every wall is covered with photos or other framed images. If I were to marry, there would be no room for his photos or decorative items. I love the decor in my living room and dining room. My tall bookshelves (at least one in every room, and four in some rooms) are stiff piled with books. I continue to buy new books. I am trying to get rid of the five or six books for which i have duplicates. One yea4r ago I cleared my dining room table, my breakfast table, and one double-bed, plus at least one chair. The chair is now a chair. The dining room table has less than half as much, but too much to permit me to invite dinner guests. The breakfast table holds all the things I bring into the house. There is barely room on it to eat a small bowl of pecans. The bed has several small stacks but not as high. I have no technique for preventing the papers from piling up again. The dining table is covered with pill bottles of supplements. The bed is covered with new drafts of new chapters of one novel. | My walk-om clothes closet is large and so crowded I can hardly put freshly=washed T shirts back on the rack. I don't buy T-shirts any more. I still wear the T=shirts with frayed necks, azlthough only at home. My coffee mugs are not a problem. I almost never buy new mugs, and, sadly, one of my favorites fell and broke and I have nowhere to buy another like it. But the papers are everywhere. "out of control" doesn't begin to describe it. The entry hall is piled knee-high with mail along one wall and part of another wall. And there is one living room chair also piled with mail. | I am not engaged in decluttering right now. What could I possibly treat myself to? I have nowhere to put anything. |
| Anonymous user | Somewhat successful | Friend temporarily moved in while going thru divorce and filled up all the empty rooms and spaces I worked so hard to declutter. Good news is they will be empty again some day when she moves out. I hope. | I have a specific room/area of the house, garage and gardens designated on my calendar to focus on resetting that room/area. I declutter, clean and reorganize only that area for a minimum of an hour. The incentive to keep things tidy is that many times an area doesn't need it so I get a break that day as a reward for my general tidying up during the month. The last week of the month is designated for taking all accumulated items in the donation box to charity. | The garage. Space is tight now with the temporary housemate and a lot of things have been moved to the garage to make space for her. I can still park my car in there though so it isn't a total reversal. This may prove to highlight a lot more things I can let go of as time passes and the items are not used or needed. | a very long camping roadtrip to a much cooler part of the country, if there is one. |
| Cathie | Very successful | Buying excess supplies or things on sale, because we used to live 25 minutes from nearest grocery store or other shopping. | Mindset change. "NO BUYING AHEAD!" We are seniors. Husband has health issues. If we have to move out of our house, it most likely be a smaller space, I want the process to be as easy aa as possible. Using up the excess. Food, cleaning & laundry supplies books to read, spare underwear, jeans, towels, linens. Even furniture that doesn't quite work anymore. All take space and are heavy to move. | Pantry is my trouble spot--grew up preserving summer harvests for wintertime eating. Whole root cellar of jars, bags & bins. Then, as young couple, we lived 25-30 min from shopping, so couldn't run out for a gallon of milk or any other food or supply. Now, my weakness is sale items, especially non-perishables. | Binge watching free old movies on youtube. |
| Name (click to view full survey response and comments) | How successful have you been at maintaining a space or collection in the finished state after a completed decluttering project? | What habits, attitudes, events, people, or other factors contribute to your tendency to re-clutter the space? | What habits, mindsets, practices, or other factors contribute to your ability to successfully maintain a previously cluttered space? | In which collections or categories of stuff are you most inclined to re-clutter? | Fill in the blank: “When I finish my current decluttering/organizing project, I’m going to treat myself to ___.” |
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