The Clutter Fairy Weekly Survey #180 Results
Facing Your Toughest Organizing Challenges
Below are the results of our survey about audience experiences related to the topic for episode #180 of The Clutter Fairy Weekly. If you haven’t already done so, please take the survey.
The Hard Stuff
We asked our audience members to select the categories of clutter that you find most difficult to work on.
Note: Hover over any bar in the graph to see the name of the category and the number of respondents who selected that answer. (Mobile users: Click on the bars for details.)
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) | Select the categories of clutter that you find most difficult to work on. | If the category of stuff you find most difficult to work with wasn’t listed in the previous question, please describe it here. | For the stuff you find hardest to organize, tell us about how or why this type of stuff trips you up. | What’s your favorite thing to listen to while decluttering? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tammy |
| Everything feels overwhelming | I feel angry and sad I struggle partly related to complex trauma and adhd at my core | Music with a adhd body double partner I feel safe with. |
| Anonymous user |
| 93 yr. old MOther's pciture and treasures. | Can't fit into hourse and grandkids want none of it. | all of those things.... maybe a book on tape. |
| Tammy |
| Everything feels overwhelming | I feel angry and sad I struggle partly related to complex trauma and adhd at my core | Music with a adhd body double partner I feel safe with. |
| Anonymous user |
| Overwhelming and don't know where to begin | YouTube podcast | |
| Suzanne |
| Junk leftover random medical insurance claim stuff | I figure the medical insurance stuff, the financial stuff are difficult and overwhelming because the stuff from each category is spread out in the house. If I magically had all the medical insurance stuff on 1 table, and only that stuff, it would be almost pleasant to get going on it and progress. But I would need that table to be untouched by anything else for the duration of that « project ». Maybe it’s like needing to take a group photo of 10 high-energy children who are all over the house and once you get 2 or 3 in a room you need to go find another but on your way to that next child you got called away to help another one who can’t button their shirt and then the first 2-3 children are hiding together but then one fell asleep while the other 2 left to hide and the hours are passing and the photographer got tired and left and good luck getting those 10 children in one room because there are too many places to hide, they’re playing with the clean laundry and your pot is over boiling and the doorbell just rang but you’re on the toilet and where is that spare roll of TP. | |
| Suzanne |
| I get really stuck and often make little progress when dealing with « the random, the small random, and the one-of’s that I just can’t figure out where to place or store but also how would I remember where I would place these ». Many seem to defy a category, or the right category or how I would remember the category I come up with. A lot of thinga-ma-jigs. So many of these caught up in sweep bags and leftover stuff from sorting that I don’t see a reason to let go. This random also includes items that you know belong with something but you just can’t remember what. Example: I came across a funny-looking clip that had some kind of little red ball attached. Well I got brave and binned it. One week later, I kid you not, I discovered it was the special clip to hold the candy thermometer up in a pot. Well now I’m stuck with a very long thermometer in a special bespoke case and the thermometer is now useless to me and that and the case should be binned. Random items, grr. | Oops, kind of answered about the random and one-off’s in previous question. I can add the volume of these make it hard to deal with for each of the what’s this, the oh I know what this is but not where that other thing is till I come across it as I declutter, and all the where should this go items. Frustrates me. | The most effective is silence for best progress in decluttering and second maybe binaural beats or some sound piece from the free version of insight timer. |
| Beth |
| Sentimental | Sentimental items - Fear of losing treasured memories Bulky items - Having to organize help getting them out and finding a suitable place for discarding | The Clutter Fairy Weekly podcast |
| Vicki |
| Specialty items from business retirement : restaurant | My husband doesn’t want to part with just in case stuff. | Music, audiobooks |
| Anonymous user |
| office supplies -- pens, pencils, paper, notebooks, journals, memo pads towels & linens | I was heavier and I used to have a hard time finding clothes so when I got into a misses size I bought a lot more clothes. I have so many clothes that I filled the closet, 2 clothes racks, 2 dressers and several plastic boxes with all the items. The boxes are filled with the clothes that are too small for me to wear right now. On top of that, I can't seem to find new clothes that I like so that I can get rid of some of the older clothes that should be discarded. | It depends on my mood -- talk radio, music, audiobook, podcast. It's a bad idea for me to watch TV or videos because I would end up not decluttering. |
| Marsh |
| Sporting equipment, avenues of items used for former interests/competitions/awards that one will no longer do. Mostly, what to do with the awards? | Feel such an emotional charge of "Losing" ? a former identity of one self. Closing the dreams of a lifetime that will no longer be. Seems that keeping the stuff around to touch or hold or look out keeps the fear away yet the stuff is IN THE WAY of my more desired, financial, organic, physical and simpler life. | Tina Turner up LOUD or if raining/snowing outside = TCF Podcast's or even just my own quiet thoughts. |
| Marcia |
| How all the individual categories seem to clump together to one category of overwhelm | Fatigue after working long hours and then fixing dinner makes it easy to just let the rest of "to do" be left untouched | Definitely Clutter Fairy and also a variety of podcasts on you tube |
| Anonymous user |
| Inherited business paperwork. Not sure what to keep, shred, or just recycle. Also inherited legal paperwork or estate paperwork/ trusts | ||
| Anonymous user |
| Pantry for dry goods and How to best hang paintings and mirrors. These are just leaning against the wall | Financial paperwork. I don't like e-statements because of vision issues and I like to mark up and write notes when paid. Medical paperwork. EOBs for taxes and flexible spending reimbursement Insurance policies. I like to keep so I can compare to prior year and how the price has changed. Problem is with fatigue and focus. Also don't know what to respectfully do with my mother's wedding dress from 1956. | Movie score instrumental music, Italian opera, or silence |
| Michele ( just one l)😁 |
| The usual reason...clothes l soent money on or might fit bk into again... Paper...l might need to refer bk to....or need more time 2 siet or do research on what to keep... Family items l feel guilty leaving go...Or if l tidy well l can fit it all in !!! | I listen to you Gayle /Ed....even previous episodes on youtube... | |
| Catherine |
| A combination of emotional overwhelm and figuring out the best way to get rid of certain objects. How / where to sell etc. | Clutter fairy podcast or a movie. | |
| Jetta |
| Photos—I struggle with the perfection mindset in that I have to do it the “right way” and I feel like I’m about 7 years behind. Overwhelm! Cards—I only have kept some of those from people who mean/meant the most to me, but do I really need them? I know some people will take a picture, but that’s just not something that works for me. I do have them out from where I did have them and am trying to bolster myself to go through them. Pricy item—I bought a nice camera in 2016 when I retired. I might have taken a dozen pictures with it. Intellectually I know I should sell it, but it hasn’t happened yet. | If it requires a lot of thought in decision-making then silence. Otherwise, some decluttering podcast or classic rock music. | |
| Lala |
| I can't seem to get started. If/when I do, each layer has more and more decisions to make and it's so tiring. | Decision making about my own stuff is so difficult. Decisions about newly acquired stuff is just stuff, and much easier. Deciding not to acquire more stuff is also very difficult. I need more money than my monthly ssi to pay bills and buy food I will actually eat (as opposed to food pantry items). | Silence so I can concentrate to sort. Dishes take no concentration, so music is nice then. |
| CHRISTINE |
| Medical records | Depresses or upsets me | Comedy movie |
| Bina |
| The “left overs”. I have decluttered numerous times but still seem to have boxes of misc stuff which I can’t seem to get rid of. Mostly junk but in good condition and useful. | The leftover stuff just sits there. I guess maybe waste is an issue. I don’t think there is any emotion attached to it. I just can’t seem to toss it. | Silence. |
| Laurie | Items that you have purchased with another person such as your spouse/partner/significant other. Not all items are clear cut mine or theirs, so it takes a conversation to address decluttering these items. How can I start a conversation, in a positive way? | I'm a detailed, organized, structured type person and my spouse isn't so it takes a delicate conversation to address how important it is to me to live in a decluttered area. He loves a decluttered area but doesn't like spending his time to get there. I can declutter my things just fine, it's taken many years to get here though, and I can leave his things alone, because it's not my responsibility to declutter his items. It's the things that we've bought together over the years that trip me up and take an extra layer of effort to declutter. | ||
| Jo |
| The paper clutter is the most frustrating. I think I have a place for the important papers, but then I have to hunt through a bin or a bag , like I'm doing today to find my current vehicle registration document. Arrrrgh! | a tv show | |
| Anonymous user |
| The paper choices were either financial or general. My paper is EVERYTHING...so many notes, etc. | Because there's so much of it. It's easy to get overwhelmed. The goal is to take it in groups in an effort of getting down to the "bare bones" of what I'm going to keep and then the ever-important decision of where it's going to be housed. Hopefully it can stay in one area vs. more. 🙂 | Clutter Fairy podcasts and music. If I really need to think about a particular portion of the project, i need to have it quiet. |
| Cathie |
| Plants. Some indoor, inherited from my Mom, and LOTS of outdoor perennials. | Craft/creative stuff--I still want to do more of that. Hubby's recent health issues have drained my energy, so no forward motion on either doing it or downsizing the materials. Same for outdoor perennial beds. Previous owners had left them weed infested. I'd almost gotten them under control, when I had no time because of hubby's health needs. So . . . TIME and enough ENERGY, are the problem. | 1) Clutter Fairy podcasts & older videos 2) Hoarders or such, USA or Britain. 3) Really old British mysteries on youtube. |
| Peggy |
| emails from friends | financial paperwork: I look up which items need to be retained but then I don't know what the terms mean, so I still don't know the answer. Mostly 401K stuff that confuses me but also items related to paid off loans / mortgages. I do know to keep the Satisfaction Piece. | my thoughts only, otherwise I get distracted |
| Michelle |
| I find that I get overwhelmed and filled with anxiety which causes me to get angry and give up. I move items around without making final decisions. I become confused and lose focus and waste time . | Silence but my thoughts then distracts me. | |
| Anonymous user |
| With financial papers I am mostly unsure what I will need in the future and what can be tossed. Some papers like about a previous legal issue (achieving a compensation for a physical attack by a drunken pedestrian decades ago) are hard to toss because I feel it's part of my personal history/life and I wish to remember it even later. It's like something significant I experienced that has a meaning. I do not want to get rid of that paper. | My own thoughts. I need silence to concentrate on the task but sometimes I like to listen to a decluttering podcast for inspiration. | |
| rowan |
| shame and blame (only being slightly facitious) | weighing future possible usefulness against how much room it takes up. | CF of course! |
| Anita |
| Emotional. I have a lot of stuffed toys,...even when I can decide to get rid of one..there is nowhere for it to go except the bin. There would be health and safety issues passing them on or to charity shops in the UK. Too hard to put Skippy in the bin🙁 | Podcast or music | |
| Denise |
| Decluttering has become easier and easier. It used to be more difficult, but I enjoy my home so much more compared to when I had too much stuff. | Podcasts and YouTube Channels: Clutter Fairy, A Slob Comes Clean (Dana K White), Take Your House Back Course, Clutterbug. I don't sit and watch youtube, I listen while cleaning or decluttering | |
| Ann |
| The heaviness of traumatic/difficult relationships/times are stirred up when going through materials related to these people/events. It becomes a mini-reliving and grieving event that impacts me for days, sometimes weeks. With every move, I say I will tackle this stuff and purge it. This time I mean it! | Music or silence. | |
| Anonymous user |
| THEY ARE ALL I HAVE LEFT OF FAMILY. | CLASSICAL MUSIC | |
| Mim |
| For some of the sentimental items, it's easy to ask the question. "Is it time yet, should I keep it just a little longer?" Procrastinating is easy without a deadline. | Clutter Fairy and other deluttering podcasts. Sometimes just humming to myself. The "radio" turns off when I need to do something else. I also talk to myself outloud, often. When I'm talking and listening, I'm focusing. | |
| Jospeh |
| Just prior to the pandemic, I moved to a larger dwelling and become a caregiver for my 93 yr. old mother. I have sucessfully incorporated all of our belongings (which included three large storage units and an existing house) into the new home. Previously, while going to my office (1 hr. drive each way) my focus and organization was in tact. By the end of the pandemic my office closed and now I'm working from home. I have a desiginated area, with ample enough space, but I keep concentrating on the other areas of the house and not my new office. I only seem to work on my office space if I perform an all-nighter, which ruins the following day. I started with 136 boxes and I'm currently down to 56. But I'm emotionally stuck. I step into my office and can't seem to make progress. There are days I step into my office and simply stare and make an organizational plan. I set small goals and deadlines but I can't seem to move forward. I try attempting to resolve the issue one box at a time and then I attempt to blitz them all at one time creating a giant mess but not sure how much progress I make. At the end of the day I find myself wanting to work on other areas of the house than seperate and sort my papers. | A TV show A music playlist Silence Your own thoughts | |
| Deb |
| The piles hardest to shift are the multi-category piles that have been there so long that ignoring them rather than dealing with them seems easiest. | For easy decluttering, I listen to the Clutter Fairy podcast. The harder jobs distract from the podcast. | |
| Donna |
| Want to make sure I document family history and digitize photos before tossing them. Time is always an issue. I'm the only family member with some of the family history papers. | A TV show or music | |
| Brenda |
| Disability in my hands limits time spent Also when I rest my hands my brain continues with process sorting for awhile Almost feels like I'm doing activity twice | Motivational podcasts clutter fairy or minimalists | |
| Anonymous user |
| research, documents, other info for family history | I don’t have things organized. It’s scattered all about. Too many projects in the works. I get frustrated and overwhelmed with everything I need to do. Not enough time to go through things. | Of course the Clutter Fairy! But, also other podcasts or music |
| Lee |
| Overwhelming volume of stuff. | The Clutter Fairy Weekly - I listen on YouTube, and I like that once the ad is skipped or played, it doesn't continue be an issue with each video that automatically follows in the queue. Dana K White Q&A sessions on YouTube - but her ads have become a problem because they are lengthy and a new one starts before each video. I do want to try listening to music, because I don't get enough music in my life since our NPR station doesn't really have music shows. | |
| Marsh |
| Sporting equipment, attire, horse tack etc... Former rock climber, kayaker, competitive horsemanship, and so on. I will never do these activities again yet just thinking about letting any items go causes my tummy to hurt, sense of huge loss identity and I tear up as I seek to follow the many steps you have gifted me to take to clear my clutter. | My life and physical abilities have changed from so many love/loss'. Then add in my natural aging along with limited economic avenues as I am not able to create my former level of prosperity. The upside is through this amazing Clutter Fairy I am learning that "stuff" is just s t u f f.... Thank you Gayle, Ed and All. | #1 Clutter Fairy Podcast, #2 Tina Turner full blast to keep me moving on some days. #3 Silence if it's snowing or raining outside. #4 My own thoughts as I declutter the more intimate items. |
| Dee |
| I get emotionally attached to things, memories, etc. I also have the fear of throwing something away that I might need later. The "what if" problem. | The clutter fairy, audio books, podcast lots of different clutter ones. | |
| Anonymous user |
| I find it hard to let go of personal items, items of value (procrastinating the selling process), personal notes, books, etc. I use the onion method to do so, and whenever I "peel another layer" I find objects that I used to cherish, but in the meantime have lost all meaning for me. Then it's becomes to let go of them. What helped me from the Clutter Fairy advice, is the idea that not all sentimental items of a category need to be kept, only the most significant ones. Lately, I have "shopped" my sentimental/valuable items/memorabilia and decorated my new appartment with things I want to display. That's been very successful. For instance, I put up a - limited - gallery wall with the black and white children's photographs of my parents and grandparents. My gentle approch works. It's a process. By the way, putting sentimental items to use is an alternative way of decluttering, as opposed to giving something away. By definition, items that are in use and are being enjoyed aren't clutter. Decluttering by transformation! | Listening to something else distracts me while decluttering. I ask myself questions to guide me in decluttering. | |
| Sandy |
| We have our daughter and son-in-law living with us so we are all feeling the pinch of not enough storage for four adults with all of our clothing, food for different diets, hobbies, and just plain stuff! | The Clutter Fairy podcast, of course! | |
| Lauren |
| Family heirlooms / items associated with another person are hardest for me, especially if the person is deceased. | Podcasts of any kind, decluttering / organization, true crime, or other. | |
| Glenna |
| I’m an artist who doesn’t have my space in order to do my projects. My house is large enough that space shouldn’t be an issue. My friend has worked to get studio space set up, but then she was sidetracked with other paid work. I’ve not done much since. I seem to work best in sticking with it when she’s here working ( guess I need the buddy system). I still have too much stuff like aspirational clutter ( seeing the potential in random stuff that can be used in art). I have more materials than I’ll ever be able to use, but my intention is for the art studio to be a place for friends to come play too. I’m retired, so I can’t say employment impedes this process. I do have an autoimmune disease (Addison’s Disease/Adrenal Insufficiency) that limits my energy level significantly. I feel depressed at times because it feels like I’m never going to get to the place I need to be to enjoy what time in my home and life I have left. I also have three rooms that are so filled with stuff that I can’t use the space. They’re storage space for things, rather than rooms for me to enjoy. This feels yucky and I’ve gotten so used to the clutter that it’s just become background noise. | Organization and decluttering shows Motivational self improvement programs Upbeat music | |
| Jeanne |
| I wish to pass on family items that are up to three hundred years in the fam. I have cherished and cared. for these items. Two of my children care nothing about such things. Thankfully I have the one. The other two have different sort of lives and interests. I wish I had had an interested daughter. | I enjoy staying current while listening to the new Clutter Fairy each week. Gives me a refresh? | |
| Anonymous user |
| I don't know who to give it to. Don't know how to find the value. Too difficult to sell. Feel overwhelmed and stuck. | Music | |
| Cee |
| No time to dedicate constantly on project without getting tired and having to pack back up and keep starting over. | Decluttering podcast for motivation | |
| Lesley |
| The Clutter Fairy or YouTube audiobooks or BBC radios mysteries | ||
| Peggy | paperwork: not sure if I will want it later, boring to deal with, not feeling very accomplished after doing a big pile, sometimes redundant papers that need to be compared to see if one has more infomation, not always sure what needs to be kept (especially related to 401K mail or legal anything) | silence plus my own thoughts... when I help my daughter declutter, I don't mind chatting though. | ||
| Elizabeth |
| Sentimental items in a guest bedroom closet that are difficult - my wedding dress, hand made dresses and a coat from my childhood, and my mother's fur, and some toys from childhood such as a doll bed and doll house. Also, some furniture from my parent's home. I get stalled trying to figure out where to donate these items. For example, after spending considerable time researching and trying to contact a lady who I read would take my wedding gown and use it to create gowns for deceased infants, I discovered she's no longer in the area. I take comfort in donating sentimental items to places where I feel they will truly be used and appreciated. Also wrestling with spending money to get the items ready to donate or consign. For example, do I pay to have the fur cleaned? Should I repair antique furniture before donating? | I enjoy the quiet but sometimes will listen to a podcast especially when going through items that are easy to declutter. | |
| Anonymous user |
| Organizing the seasonal stuff - camping, Halloween & Christmas decos and keepsakes for the kids all in the basement | Frustrated - the basement is where I do laundry and I would like an easy clear walk way, empty folding table and not a place where everything ends up that has no other spot in the house | Own thoughts |
| Hila |
| paper and phothograph make me fatigue. 1. some because it difficult to read a lot/ 2. some beacause i need to keep if there be a problem. 3. some because it difficult to start again project that i stopped in the middle. 4.some because it difficult to ome to decide how to arrange in order to my book writing. | the clutter fairy weekly podcast a jaz music playlist timer | |
| Chris |
| Photographs are my hardest category. As I sort of phase into the "elder" category in my family and Mom has passed almost all her photos and albums to me (and my brother) already ... it feels like I "have" to keep some of them but I'm uncomfortable with the volume and I'm not detecting much interest from the next generation in these family photos either. I have done a lot of scanning and storing onto flash drives of my own personal precious photos so that if I ever want to print them out I can ... I store these in a heavy duty safe and have some stored online as well. Somehow, it's the older irreplaceable pictures that get me. Yet, no one will want them when I'm gone and it feels ridiculous to keep the tubs of pictures I have left after throwing out all the duplicates and duds. The one heirloom album I put together in which I put all the ancestors and family tree info I wanted to keep feels like something I'm okay with having all my life and whatever happens to it after I'm gone well ... that's okay because I enjoy looking at it from time to time now. I dearly wish I didn't have the volume of pictures left in about 3 medium plastic tubs though. It feels like I'm the end of the line. Complicating this is a long standing estrangement too painful to talk about with my own only child. | The Clutter Fairy Weekly Podcast | |
| Kathryn |
| Nope. You pretty much covered it... | Hubby left Dec 24, 2021 — yeah, you can probably tell that I'm not bitter at all; okay, at least I'm working on it — anyway, he believed in keeping years of food in storage. He's from a farming family. For them having at least 2yrs of food was critical to surviving years where crops failed. We settled on a year's worth of items. After he left, I couldn't bring myself to cook. Being Hispanic, food is love. It represents family. My family was gone. Hubby left, kids grew up and, most, moved out of state. I felt so alone. I ate out mostly. Then came a year of medical shitstorm: 3 strokes, 3 concussions, whiplash, neurological issues, covid, and a brain tumor. A lot of the year, I could barely function. I couldn't cook. Now the canned food has expired. Yeah, I keep using it. It's canned. I hardly use grains or the huge bags of dried fruit and nuts. I can't bring myself to waste the money spent on food, even though the food itself is probably already wasted. And my refrigerator? It's like a Tetris game...but that's another story. | Quiet, mostly. |
| Kelley |
| I believe we'll be moving from our current home in the next 3-5 years; I'm working on letting go of things we've accumulated over the 32 years we've been together. I find that I go through phases of let almost everything go and also, "oh I remember getting that, and what if we need that." I believe we'll be able to get a thing we need later, but my mind tells me that we already have it, so why redo the process. I'd also love it if we were doing it together--my husband keeps saying, "oh, I'll go through my stuff probably the year before we move" and I'd like to have that part done earlier b/c I know many other things will be occupying our minds then also. Our daughter still lives at home with us as she has just started a job after college and our son moved out in the spring. I've sent plenty with him for his new apartment and my daughter has very few things she wants to hang onto (which is good for her 🙂 ) My stress is that most of the stuff to let go of is in the basement and is out of my husband's view/mind but I know it's there and can't forget it. I also find myself just going to my craft room to forget the stuff in the basement...sigh...In the past 6 years, I lost my dad, moved my mom into assisted living, cleaned her house and property and sold it. Emotionally, it's been a lot. On the positive side, I brought very little of what was in their house to mine--a piece of antique furniture which does serve a purpose in my house, and a few pieces of jewelry. Oh, I do have possession of the pictures from their home which I plan to have scanned to distribute to my sister's family and have for posterity. Seems like I'm decluttering in stops and starts....sorry for the stream of conciousness answer.... | it varies from music to podcasts | |
| Evelin |
| When my Mum passed I inherited photos of my great-grandparents, some photos are more than 100 years old. I think they are interesting, I like to look at the clothes and hairstyles from back then and some are from WWI and have letters on the back (that I can´t read anymore). I also have photos of my grandparents (who died long before I was born) and WWII. I´m very interested in history and want to keep the photos but I´m also worried that they will deteriorate more and more. I finally took digital photos of them to save them. | of course the Clutter Fairy Weekly podcast ! other favourite channels on Youtube: the Minimal Mom Clutterbug Shannon Torrens Joshua Becker and of course there´s nothing as motivating to declutter as the show Hoarders | |
| Katharine |
| Fear of passing an item that is no longer manufactured & wonder the possibility of finding another if truly needed later on. Sadness of leaving items behind after sharing so many memories with family. | Clutter Fairy | |
| Kathianne |
| I think you pretty well covered it. I find that I tend to procrastinate to get rid of some of these categories. For instance, clothes to be mended/altered. The actual sewing takes less than an hour, but finding the materials needed to complete the project sometimes involves moving items high overhead and putting myself in peril! One upside I discovered of procrastinating in altering my clothes is that I now fit into them, so some of the prospective alterations became items I am now wearing without having to do anything other than let the wrinkles hang out! | I think the largest obstacle is just in facing the fact that some of the items to which I have an emotional attachment are no longer relevant. That season of life is over and a new one is present. Sometimes I think there is a bit of grief over leaving a season of life you loved. Therefore, I would rather avoid facing the items until I have resolved my feelings and can look back fondly on the prior era. This can take some time - probably more than I would like it to take. | Any of these except a TV show. I guess I sometimes do put on a YouTube video, so that is somewhat similar. For me it depends upon how emotionally attached I am to the category. Silence or my own thoughts work best with the hardest categories. |
| Anonymous user | Silence | |||
| Vona |
| I am never sure what to do with the box that you get when you buy electronics. Should i keep it just in case i have to send it back. Plus, all the papers that come with it. | Having a system where I will be able to find things is usually a challenge for me. I put things away and have tried everything, such as labeling. If I can't find stuff, I just go and buy another one, but I have to quit doing that. | Clutter Fairy and music. |
| Anonymous user |
| Medical equipment (power wheelchair, collators, hospital bed, canes), health items (lots of prescription medications, personal health items). It takes a lot of planning and upkeep to keep pathways clear and yet keep frequently needed items within hands reach. God forbid something falls to floor and I don't have a "grabber or reacher" within reach. I need to hire someone to help me declutter and then someone to clean my home on a regular basis. One thing at a time....limited energy. | Mobility issues, poor health, incredible fatigue, physical and mental health issues, lack of stamina, lack of more than a couple of good hours in a 2 or 3 week period. Overwhelmed. | The clutter fairy weekly! I have it playing on the desktop and I will start sorting and decluttering my computer desk. It's a relaxing hour. |
| Diana |
| Old computer parts, which belong to husband. Very hard to manage and get him to thin the herd. Tools, which also belong to husband. He keeps saying yes we'll do that but there is always a higher priority (in his opinion). | 1. Craft stuff -- still in the mode of "I might use/do that", although I probably won't. These things represent possibilities to me. 2. Food and sundries -- both are in the "I don't want to run out" category for me. Keeping two of everything (one of which is in reserve) takes a lot of space! I have some "backup" stuff I will probably never use. I've been thinning the herd slowly but it's still an issue. 3. I have newspaper articles about my dad that his mother saved that I am having a hard time going through. I'm sure they all felt important to her. I'm afraid to even look. One article I found about my mom had stuff about WW II on the back, from that time. I scanned it but can't seem to let go. 4. I have a lot of photographs and family history paperwork. Feels like an overwhelming task to scan or photograph all of them. Not sure I need to. But it sits. 5. Husband's old computer parts and tools. Won't do without his cooperation, as it should be. He has a hard time letting go of stuff. | All of the above at one time or another. Depends on how easy the task is. |
| Sandy |
| Toiletries and medications | I actually started this week to get rid of usable items by rehoming them. And it worked for a while and then I looked at the top shelf of the bathroom closet and that was it. It was like a switch turned off and I was done. I discussed this with a friend and came up with this. After cleaning out under the bathroom sink, going through some lower shelves (apparently getting the low hanging fruit) when I looked up I was overwhelmed - it was instant shutdown - as if I'd been totally saturated with the effort and progress and then brick wall! How can I get past this and keep the momentum going? I was doing so well. I even bundled up two big bags of candles to donate - most were from Wicks n Sticks. How long have they been Gone....... | music, but y'all voices are in the background too helping me make decisions and actual action on things! |
| Diane |
| I’m also helping my mom her paperwork so juggling her mail and keeping up with my own paperwork. I feel like I’m doing double time. | Working on my mom’s stuff makes her happy but sometimes I rather just send time visiting and talking | The clutter fairy podcast- I feel like I’m working with great co-workers |
| Kathy |
| My husband's garage stuff no idea what's a keep or throw? [ I'm a Widow] | No concept of what is needed...what to keep outdated still has need for use. | 1 st Tv show 2 nd music |
| A.G. |
| Movies/CDs, home decor/art, handmade items | Things with sentimental attachment, attachment to the people I care about and are or were in my life, things that evoke memories of times in my life, are the most precious and most difficult to declutter. Especially since I have difficulties with memory - the things aren't just things they ARE the memories, and a photo of an item doesn't give the smell or feel etc of the item that potentially helps evoke memory. | I watch shows or movies when decluttering usually, and podcasts (clutter fairy being one of the main ones) when I do chores like dishes |
| Summer | Emotions!! Dread to start the project and experience the sadness, loss and any anger it brings up. I cannot decide how to manage the photos from my four children, growing up. If I save them digitally I feel bad about discarding the prints. If I keep the prints, how to organize them seems like an overwhelming task. I did cull any bad photos but dealing with the rest makes my head hurt. 🙁 Going through photos and memorabilia is a draining and very time consuming task. | Clutter Fairy Weekly Podcast or You Tube FOR SURE!! | ||
| Jill |
| Media-especially music followed by movies and TV series DVDs. Music was such a big part of most of our yoinger lives. | Older media such as cassettes and cds can degrade over time. Formats keep changing-DVD to blueRay. Vinyl to cassettes, 8 tracks, Cd's and now vinyl is coming back into vogue. Movies are often not shown in their entirely on tv owing to vast time swatches for commercials. | My own thoughts |
| Lynn |
| Art both me and my mother created, as well as art created by others. | There is more art than I have room for on walls without it feeling claustrophobic. But I like to change the art on walls occasionally so want to safely store art pieces not currently on walls. Have already thinned the herd quite a bit and want to retain the rest. | A music Playlist |
| Cynthia |
| Decor including wall art. | I like visual pictures and decorations. Some of them are my creations as I like to paint. Other ones are enlarged photos I took of my family over the years. I just look at them and don’t want to part with them. Some do not go with my new color scheme but I remember collecting them for retirement. | Own thoughts or clutter fairy. I would listen to clutter fairy until I got inspiration and then stop video and go implement. |
| Anonymous user |
| I am a very sentimental person so decluttering items that are family heirlooms (even those that have very little monetary value) is guilt provoking. Mom and dad struggled for everything and that alone makes the items difficult to move on. And as the dependable child, I felt obligated to care for their things since it was always stated that they were depending on me to keep and then pass on the things along with the story’s to the following generations. But the next gens aren’t interested in the items and barely interested in the stories. Now in my 70’s I just don’t want to responsible for these items anymore ( I’ve done my family duty) but I do want them to go to someone who will treasure them, especially those things that were made by my grandparents for my parents and their siblings. Some of those things are well over 100 years. It’s a conundrum. | Usually my cat is in the room with me as I go through things. She is always interested in checking out each item and sits quietly while I tell her all about it and the people it belonged to in the past. I’m not sure she understands the words but she does understand the emotions because she nuzzles up against me as if reassuring me that it’s ok to let it go on to someone else. | |
| CHRISTINE |
| medical records | Depression. and anxiety..when I even think about finances. So the financial paperwork puts this problem literally in my face on a piece of paper. | a comedy movie. to lift my spirits |
| Linda |
| I have many items of clothing from before retirement when I worked in an office, that are very good quality. I’m having a difficult time letting go of mostly my nice tops. They are in various sizes, as my weight fluctuates. Don’t know where to begin. I feel a though I’m throwing money out the door. | Definitely Clutter Fairy. Your videos have been a great help to me. There re so many of them,I forget what’s in them. You say when a person reaches my age, it’s too late, but I’m doing my best to keep decluttering. | |
| MEG |
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| SM |
| I've inherited several generations of physical photos in addition to my own and I also do genealogy as a hobby. I gave away (or threw out) as many as I could, ......... to the point where I feel like I wiped out most of the herd rather than just thinning it ! I'm trying to save a "representative sample" of the photos. But, I also feel "obligated" to preserve our family history. Most of the rest are sorted by family and approximate date, labelled ,and scanned. I'm asking myself these questions: If I died, would anyone care that this wasn't done? Which ones are most important ? Have I saved too much? Where will I ever find the time to finish? Last year, I worked at least 10 minutes most days on this, but I think I'm experiencing "burnout" because I can't get back at it. | I like to just have silence so I can get to that day's goal before my time runs out. | |
| Anonymous user |
| Sentimental stuff especially gifts from or things that belonged to deceased loved ones because there won't be any more | The Clutter Fairy Weekly - I get motivation and ideas Thank you, Gayle and Ed! | |
| Celina |
| medication that *may* come in handy, e.g. non-expired painkillers, sore throat pills, etc. healthy supplements... I just have more than I can use up before they expire and I HAD to throw out some recently... So... money wasted. | My craft supplies. I use up LESS than I acquire. And I acquire it in all different sorts of ways: eg. some people give theirs to me for free, i get some HUGE discounts (I buy little fabric or ribbons, because I sew for dolls, and such fabric leftovers is what often gets sold at next to nothing at various local haberdasheries, because otherwise they'd just throw it out). Also, people who know me lovingly offer to give me some fabric, etc. And the stuff is GOOD, let me tell you! All these craft supplies are really a deal and I have no heart to reject them. (I have shared a lot with others on buy-nothing groups or among friends before, but I refuse to just give away the awesome stuff) So, despite promising myself not to give in, I do give in. | Gayle and Ed, you're my fav clutter-related content and I LOVE YOU. I love crafting along your videos, because it doesn't require of me to look at it continuously. And it helps me to motivate myself to use up my craft supplies. So, any time I'm crafting and have some fabric scraps during the process, I feel more motivated to throw them out rather than keep them... just in case I find some use for it. Aside from that, Zeducation (it's a meme-related youtube channel) or some 80s music, or some psychology-related podcasts. |
| Noreen |
| Family items as I m one of the lat family members still here. | Music or Podcast or You Tube | |
| Laurie | I find it hardest to let go of items that are valuable such as both grandmothers' and my mom's sets of china, my grandmother's and my mom's set of silverware, my grandmother's and my mom's lead crystal pieces. I have the crystal pieces displayed in my dining room, but the other items are in plastic containers as I have no plans to use them. I've been able to donate items that are valued below $50 (I had my items appraised four years ago), but just can't seem to let go of items that have a greater value. | Silence. I have to be able to think and make decisions and can't be distracted while doing so. | ||
| Lela | I've already pared down our photos, & I think my daughter would be sad if I did not keep what we have now. My mother (in her 80s) says she wanted to get rid of old photos years ago, but is now glad she kept them because they help her remember things she had forgotten, especially of all her adventures with my dad when they were young. | I'm most efficient when I'm in a quiet house & can think without distraction. But, it's more fun with music on. | ||
| Anonymous user |
| photographs -- so many good ones, and being an auntie (not a mom, sadly), there are already enough in each family's home to bequeath to the kids (if they want them). They don't need mine, Papers -- financial and otherwise -- huge piles, so overwhelming to tackle, a previous organizing system has fallen apart | usually silence so I can focus | |
| Anonymous user | A combination of guilt over giving away gifted things that weren't used, emotional attachment to things that were outgrown, and scarcity mindset about not being able to afford to replace things that aren't currently being used if they are needed in the future after being let go | Clutter Fairy Podcast and content by other decluttering/organizing creators | ||
| Joy | Either The Clutter Fairy Weekly podcast, The Minimalists podcast, Minimalist Mom podcast, or any other decluttering/minimalism podcast. | |||
| Jean | Is any paper really necessary to save? Can I shred it all? | Once I’m frustrated I never want to see it again. | Gayle and Ed! Also Sirius radio the Bridge channel 17 | |
| Anonymous user | Mostly feelings of overwhelm and guilt to release the stuff. | Silence | ||
| Amelia | Papers and e-mails come in faster than I have the time to deal with them. Most end up being tossed, but I feel 'I need to read them first in case there is something interesting'. | When I am decluttering, I need to think about what I am doing or else I get distracted - not that my own thoughts don't often distract. | ||
| Intignia | Any decluttering, organizing, or house cleaning of any type is tremendously hampered by my chronic illness and pain levels. I can only work on something 5 to 10 minutes then I have to stop and go rest for 20 to 30 minutes or longer until the pain level lowers to bearable and I have strength to carry on. So very many times I have gotten things out and am ready to go to work on a project or whatever and have to stop. Then it's time to fix a meal or clean-up after one or do some other necessary-for-living task. So many projects are started but not finished. It is very disheartening. | Calming, restful instrumental music. Words get in the way of my thinking process. | ||
| C | Items that are meant to be for other people or places, but still linger at our place. | Financial papers: i get so nervous that I will make a mistake. Other papers and documents: I get so sidetracked and have decision fatigue so quickly | BBC podcasts | |
| Anonymous user | I live with people who clog many entire rooms with stuff. They don't want my help. | silence | ||
| Millie | It is hard to declutter photos as I feel like I'm throwing away my family. | my own thoughts | ||
| Jane | Looking at this list, it was clear things with a sentimental attachment are hardest for me to let go of. Thankfully, most of these are small. | The items I find hardest to let go of are things that are irreplaceable. That said, I am getting better about taking pictures of some of these things and letting the actual items go. | Podcasts and YouTube videos (including The Clutter Fairly of course). | |
| rowan | frugality (saving sewing repair supplies). | clutter fairy of course! Fumio Sasaki's book Goodbye Things | ||
| Name (click to view full survey response and comments) | Select the categories of clutter that you find most difficult to work on. | If the category of stuff you find most difficult to work with wasn’t listed in the previous question, please describe it here. | For the stuff you find hardest to organize, tell us about how or why this type of stuff trips you up. | What’s your favorite thing to listen to while decluttering? |
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