The Clutter Fairy Weekly Survey #242 Results
Decluttering and Organizing Mindset Pre-test
Below are the results of our survey released in preparation for episode #242 of The Clutter Fairy Weekly. If you haven’t already done so, please take the survey.
Responses
To view the complete, detailed survey response from any respondent, click on their name (or “Anonymous user”) 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) | Nature versus Nurture | Confronting the Elephant | Sentimental Values | Paging Justin Case | Sunken Treasure | Write a statement that summarizes your current mindset with respect to the decluttering and organizing journey. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DM | Statement B. I'm a naturally organized person, but I can always learn new ways of doing things. Having things tidy and able to be found easily pleases me. It's nice when others feel welcome in my home. | #B I like these mantras.: Eat the elephant a bite at a time. Thin the herd. Start by starting. I feel competent when I can check off the next completed step in a project. (I guess competent is the right word.) | Between A and B, but closer to #B. It's really hard to go through sentimental and family things and realize that they may not be as important to someone else as they are to me. But, I can't take them with me when I die. I feel lucky that I have so many family things but I wish I had someone to tell the stories about them to. | #B I follow the 20/20 rule which goes sort of like this... "Can I get a replacement for less than $20 or within 20 minutes time?" Or the 80/20 rule which says that we use or wear 20% of our things about 80% of the time. So why keep all the rest? It's annoying that spouse can't get on board with this. Sigh. | #B I am really grateful for the people who let go of the things that I've found at thrift shops, so I try to pay it forward. My mother wouldn't have been caught dead in a thrift store, but she donated 3 carloads of clothing when she was terminally ill because she wanted someone else to get use out of them. | It's a process and it's not completely done in your lifetime. You can have a lot more time to enjoy people and events and hobbies when you're not tied down to cleaning unnecessary stuff. |
| Lisa Beth | B | B After years of listening to you, I'm proud to report I'm a solid B! | I was an A. I'm now fighting old habits to pick select items. I have a date to have family here and offer some of the collection to other relatives and part with what they have no sentimental attachment to. | Somewhere between A &B. I used to save more than I currently do. I have to love something a lot to want to dust and care for it the rest of my life. For several years I've been going through an area each month and each time I always thin the herd a little more. I also practice one in one out. | I was never one to spend a lot on myself. My guilty pleasure is overgifting especially to children who grew up and 2/3 left more than they took with them. My minimalist is still here. | I've done a good job parting with most things that no longer suit my purposes. I'm still going through grown children 's things that appear and reappear with each transition in their lives. |
| Celina | Statement B - I've discovered I'm ADHD, but I also remember myself from 7 years ago (pre-abusive relationship) where my brain was 'normal'. So, I believe that I can retrain it and detraumatise it (it's already been happening for the last 4 years, but it's a process) back to where it was. I now care to have calm people around me, sleep well, eat well, and work on my resources (e.g. focus on making money and not chasing some new abusers who'll drain my energy). ANYWAY, I see some progress with, e.g., motivating myself to getting down to doing things. I've become very self-aware when it comes ot my procrastination and disorganization. I'm good at remembering that some things just need to have their lil home, such as house and car keys, for instance, so that I don't need to look for them. I've gottne rid of things I don't use (from clothing to spices & kitchen appliances). I avoid being excessive and irrational with collections (so curating instead of hoarding). I try to find proper containers and storage solutions within my means. The big test is yet to come, because I'm about to become a home owner within a couple weeks and while thus far I could easily say: "why clean thoroughly if I'll move within a couple months anyway/my flatmate doesn't give a crap anyway/etc.", now I'll be all accountable and have no one to blame... I'm curious to see if I'll really become more organised and tidy! 😀 | B again - it's important to even literally write down the minor steps. Then crossing them out - the chunks of work rather than huge loads - feels like an achievement and gives the sense of accomplishment which further motivates you 🙂 | B again - I have some inheritances that will stay, but it's a small box. When it comes to gifts - I'm thankful and I love gifts, but Ihave no problem with understanding that they are mine and I egt to choose what happens to them. So, e.g., I recently got a cheap duck-shaped soap tray and a very delicious, HQ tea. I've nearly finished the tea (I got it less than a month ago for Christmas), but the duck-shaped tray went to my private tutoring student who has younger siblings who'll be much happier playing with the tacky plastic duck. I wouldn't dare to say to my cousin that the duck was tacky (I think she got it for laughs, not because it was precious), but I already thanked her over FB for the delicious tea. In sum, I have nothing but great memories: in the end, the gift made more than just one person happy 🙂 | Statement A - I've learnt the hard way that as a Central European, I cannot just 'go out and buy' like, e.g., the Minimalists always recommend (and then preach sustainability LOL). There are some things that I may need only once a year, but they're keepers. I don't care if they're inexpensive and easily replecable... I am NOT spending this money again. E.g. a thermos - I may need it only one a year when I go on holiday... sure... Now I'm super tight with money throughout the next couple months, so instead of buying bottled water (no, filers and dispensers are NOT cheaper in my case), I just prepare herbal tea for the fraction and take it to the gym instead of having to buy water. This is why it's worth keepin the thermos, even if it goes back to abyss for many months some time soon. | Statement B, but with a nuance! Anytime I have things I spent some money on, I make sure I get at least a part of that money back. I've been successful. I always say that the little loss is the cost of having the experience and trial period of using the given thing or seeing it in real life. Also, I sell or even flip colelctible dolls. I've sold over 200 dolly related things (incl. clothes, for instance), so I can honestly tell you - it's always worth trying to resell, sometimes it just takes time and reality checks as to the price 🙂 | I can't wait to organize my very own space soon, but for now I'm trying to sell away things I don't want to drag along. Over the past 8 years (I then began my 'minimalist journey' and fell in love with Gayle's videos xoxo), I have gathered even more stuff, but I've replaced 90% of my belongings. I honestly don't have the majority of clothes, books, art supplies, etc. I had then. Things I still have are my printer, sewing machine, some small containers, jewellery... But I'm so much happier! I have much less junk and clutter that annoys me. I wear the majority of my clothes. I got rid of uncomfortable shoes (at some point me and my club foot decided that life it too short for uncomfortable shoes!). I've become more ruthless with little papers and paper memorabilla like entrance tickets, etc. |
| Tanya | B | B | C: combination of both! | C: I used to be “A” when kids were younger, but now I’m over it! | B | I’m turning 64 soon, and have been a widow for 5 years. We had a lot of combined items! I’ve gone through all the emotions that hindered me starting the decluttering process, but as time passed, I grew my decluttering muscles. I’m now in “Swedish Death Cleaning” mode. Soon, I hope to be in the “maintenance mode”. Thank you both for being an integral part of my decluttering journey!😊 |
| Lynn | Statement B is more relatable to me as I age. As a child and young adult, Statement A was more relatable. This proves to me that it is a learned skill derived from experience in a messy environment that becomes so annoying it inspires experimental organizing trials until you hit upon one that works for you. When it does, you can feel your environment become much more enjoyable. | Allow me to vent: After moving in to take care of my mom as her dementia worsened, and then inheriting her house, the prospect of sorting and decluttering our combined whole house home goods and clothing was very emotional and overwhelming until I broke it down to each room and each furniture item in each room. My mom was a depression-era pack rat that saved everything in case... she loved books, music, art, and clothing and anything from years of QVC shopping, Her philosophy was to buy more furniture to store her things rather than declutter what was no longer in current use. There was not an inch of floor space near a wall that was not covered by furniture to house things. Outwardly, it was generally neat, but inside the furniture and containers was a jungle of stuff crammed into it. It took 3 years of steady effort and progress to complete, but I got it all done and finally made the house MY home with new paint, new furniture and kitchen appliances with just the things I want in it and nothing more. I'm still reducing things in preparation for new flooring this year, but I am happy with it now. I decluttered (donated or sold) 37 trash bags of clothing, 45 boxes of books, 18 boxes of record albums, VCR tapes, and cassette tapes, 2 sofa beds, 8 tall bookcases, 4 dressers, a dining table and chairs, 3 recliners, 3 sets of dinnerware, 2 desks, 2 beds, 30 years of tax records and receipts, several generations of photos, photo albums and correspondence, and a lot of other content. It required having to search meticulously through everything as I found passports, photos, checks, etc tucked in books as bookmarks, and important permanent documents filed away in her yearly tax records. Nah, there were no feelings in emotions in those statements! Lol! Her house would be a good advertisement for the Swedish Death Cleaning theory. | As the last one standing in my mother's family tree, I was stuck with Statement A with a mixture of guilt, sadness and anger over what to do with all the boxes of historical photos, correspondence and documents from several generations of her family. I don't know why, but last year, my mindset finally flipped and in a fit of anger, I decided it was not my responsibility to continue to keep all the stuff or try to find homes for any of it. I threw most of it out and kept only a handful of representative pieces. Have had very few regrets and felt liberated from the past as I transitioned to Statement B | While caring for my mom, Statement A was my MO because the future was uncertain with her so sick and me with no source of income while caregiving. Once I aged into Social Security with a mortgage-free house, Statement B became easier. Statement B is my lifestyle now for most things. I learned a hard lesson in Just In Case clutter while clearing out mom's stuff. I refuse to leave to others my clutter to clean up. | Statement A was my insurance during uncertain times. Most of it I would inherit and hoped I could sell the things I didn't want. I realized not many people wanted to buy any of it and it was much easier to just donate. I eventually donated or sold most of it at a deep discount just to get it out of the house. It was worth it to clear my environment of so much unwanted stuff to manage. | Life is good. It feels great to be liberated from the past and things not currently in use. |
| Lynn | Statement B is more relatable to me as I age. As a child and young adult, Statement A was more relatable. This proves to me that it is a learned skill derived from experience in a messy environment that becomes so annoying it inspires experimental organizing trials until you hit upon one that works for you. When it does, you can feel your environment become much more enjoyable. | Allow me to vent: After moving in to take care of my mom as her dementia worsened, and then inheriting her house, the prospect of sorting and decluttering our combined whole house home goods and clothing was very emotional and overwhelming until I broke it down to each room and each furniture item in each room. My mom was a depression-era pack rat that saved everything in case... she loved books, music, art, and clothing and anything from years of QVC shopping, Her philosophy was to buy more furniture to store her things rather than declutter what was no longer in current use. There was not an inch of floor space near a wall that was not covered by furniture to house things. Outwardly, it was generally neat, but inside the furniture and containers was a jungle of stuff crammed into it. It took 3 years of steady effort and progress to complete, but I got it all done and finally made the house MY home with new paint, new furniture and kitchen appliances with just the things I want in it and nothing more. I'm still reducing things in preparation for new flooring this year, but I am happy with it now. I decluttered (donated or sold) 37 trash bags of clothing, 45 boxes of books, 18 boxes of record albums, VCR tapes, and cassette tapes, 2 sofa beds, 8 tall bookcases, 4 dressers, a dining table and chairs, 3 recliners, 3 sets of dinnerware, 2 desks, 2 beds, 30 years of tax records and receipts, several generations of photos, photo albums and correspondence, and a lot of other content. It required having to search meticulously through everything as I found passports, photos, checks, etc tucked in books as bookmarks, and important permanent documents filed away in her yearly tax records. Nah, there were no feelings in emotions in those statements! Lol! Her house would be a good advertisement for the Swedish Death Cleaning theory. | As the last one standing in my mother's family tree, I was stuck with Statement A with a mixture of guilt, sadness and anger over what to do with all the boxes of historical photos, correspondence and documents from several generations of her family. I don't know why, but last year, my mindset finally flipped and in a fit of anger, I decided it was not my responsibility to continue to keep all the stuff or try to find homes for any of it. I threw most of it out and kept only a handful of representative pieces. Have had very few regrets and felt liberated from the past as I transitioned to Statement B | While caring for my mom, Statement A was my MO because the future was uncertain with her so sick and me with no source of income while caregiving. Once I aged into Social Security with a mortgage-free house, Statement B became easier. Statement B is my lifestyle now for most things. I learned a hard lesson in Just In Case clutter while clearing out mom's stuff. I refuse to leave to others my clutter to clean up. | Statement A was my insurance during uncertain times. Most of it I would inherit and hoped I could sell the things I didn't want. I realized not many people wanted to buy any of it and it was much easier to just donate. I eventually donated or sold most of it at a deep discount just to get it out of the house. It was worth it to clear my environment of so much unwanted stuff to manage. | Life is good. It feels great to be liberated from the past and things not currently in use. |
| Rose | B | A or B, depending on my mood that day, or the specific area I'm tackling. | A | A, especially if it's something I have storage space for and don't want to be wasteful and spend money layer to buy it again. | A | I've got too many items to comfortably manage, and want to get rid of the things I'm not using anyway. |
| Evelin | B - I learned that we can train our "decluttering muscles", it gets easier over time | B - how do you eat an Elephant? in small bites. it can feel overwhelming though. | in between - it depends on the item. some items trigger bad memories and some good memories | A - scarcity mindset is a huge problem, especially for people who grew up poor | I'm probably somewhere in between A and B | During the last 10 years I've learned a lot about decluttering but there's still so much that can be improved. Decluttering is a neverending process. Circumstances can change and then you suddenly need different stuff than you did before. As long as there is new stuff coming in, something has to go. |
| Anonymous user | I want to believe I can do B! I’m not there yet. But I want to put in every effort this year | I am A to the MAX! It’s hard for me to get started and not get interrupted | B for sure. I have a few pieces I inherited and love them. I feel so connected to them, especially if I never knew them | I am more A, but leaning towards B | I’m closer to B. I don’t have items that are so costly. We just donated furniture, which was great (once they came)! ( they were delayed picking up for two weeks) | I have a LOT to declutter. I do plan to make a special effort this year. I am embarrassed if we have anyone come downstairs (such as the furnace guy). |
| rowan | I'm statement B (which is why I watch decluttering and organizing videos). I look for new ways to think about things, and lately four things have been helping me - working on noticing my assumptions about items (obviously a sewing machine is a necessity - I did get rid of that finally, ditto art table.) - letting go of "being prepared" (which was causing me to stockpile pantry) which has led to me prioritize working my way through my stash of frozen and dry goods (it will take a couple months) - accepting that I don't want to cook at this time, so I am letting go of ingredients that will require experimentation at this time - the question "does someone need this item much more than I do?" | - neither because I have just recently achieved minimalism regarding stuff. There are a few things to review, but I am down to a nice volume. Everything could fit in the back of an SUV. | Somewhere in between - I own certain things that I know will be very difficult to replace (100% cotton french terry sweat pants). I'm keeping the ten I jsut recently found online! | somewhere in between - I regret the money I spent on instant pot, air fryer, OXO's best mandoline - but that money is not coming back. | I am at a pause point. | |
| Allison | Neither statement really describes me. I have always been naturally organized. I just have too much stuff. For instance, all my Christmas decor, wrapping, etc. is neatly packaged together. I used to have four bins, now I have two after decluttering. My closet has always been neat and tidy. Now I simply have fewer clothes. | Definitely statement B. I *will* get through everything. It will just take time. | Statement B. I've decluttered items with bad memories (looking at you, photo of horrible ex-boyfriend) so what remains is good memories of people. | Statement B definitely. I trust that the universe AKA Gayle's River of Stuff will provide what is needed when. | Statement B. The money has already been spent whether I keep items or not. They were in my life at the time I acquired them for the purpose needed then. I am a different person now and those items may not fit my current needs. | I am getting there. Don't know when but someday I'll look around and say "this is just right." |
| Anonymous user | I feel like statement A resonates with me more. Although Statement B is what I feels I should believe, it sometimes feel like it’s impossible to escape my behavior. | Statement A again resonates with me. I sometimes struggle to feel like things will ever get done. This feeling is stronger when it’s been a while since I’ve made any progress. | Statement A. I feel like I am letting go part of them when I declutter their things. | I can definitely lean towards Statement A with this one but I am moving more towards Statement B as I’ve noticed a lot of those “holding on” things go unused. | Statement A | |
| Monica | Statement B: I've learned that if I'm calm and my life is not under a lot of stress i can be more relaxed about attacking organizing projects. Also, I believe in learning new skills to overcome obstacles. | Statement A: This happens when i'm under a lot of stress and my anxiety is very high, otherwise, I can manage it better. | Statement A: I feel guilt getting rid of them, but I also know that they paralyze me from living in the present. | Statement A: Yes, that's exactly right; also, i feel guilty if things were expensive to acquire. | Statement A: Usually this is the case, but i also agree with Statement B, i've learned to donate some of them. | I'm more ready than ever before to simplify my life, I've misplaced important items or memories for being focused on minor items that occupy space. |
| Jessie | B | B | A | A | B | i still feel overwhelming sadness letting go of my kids toys and I"m 75! I have let go of a lot but still have a few that my grandchildren play with. |
| Kim | B | B | B | B | B My new attitude after listening to CF podcasts | No one wants my old crap! Purge it, already! |
| Name (click to view full survey response and comments) | Nature versus Nurture | Confronting the Elephant | Sentimental Values | Paging Justin Case | Sunken Treasure | Write a statement that summarizes your current mindset with respect to the decluttering and organizing journey. |
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