Survey #180 Response from Kathianne
| Select the categories of clutter that you find most difficult to work on. (Since we discovered the technical issue preventing some users from answering the previous question, we’re also offering this simpler format.) |
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| If the category of stuff you find most difficult to work with wasn’t included in the list for the previous question, please describe it here. | 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! |
| For the category of stuff you find hardest to declutter or organize, please tell us about how or why this type of stuff trips you up. | 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. |
| What’s your favorite thing to listen to while decluttering? | 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. |
| Name one or more of your favorite Clutter Fairy-isms (e.g., “thin the herd”) or decluttering and organizing mnemonic devices (e.g., OHIO—Only Handle It Once). | I do like thin the herd, because it gives me permission to keep a memento. |
| Here’s your chance to ask Gayle and Ed any question you’re curious about. It need not be related to this survey’s topic(s). | I think "just do it" is the answer, but wondered if you had any secrets for tackling a project you would rather put off. I guess what I am asking is if you know any small rewards that make a person more likely to tackle and finish an "overwhelming" job. Sometimes the idea of getting the place more chaotic and having to put it back before being able to go to bed is too much of a deterrent to getting started. |
| Future topics | Paper clutter and mail is always relevant! One of the people I listen to talks about a "time will tell" basket. This works somewhat, but you have to get a routine of going through it or it ends up just adding to the clutter. (Occasionally I do get more information and do act on an item in the "time will tell" basket, so "kicking the can down the road" is not always an issue.) I also have another basket for incoming mail, and that one is always in good shape, with just items I need to act on in the next couple of days in it, and I either act on them or toss the items by the weekend. |
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