Survey #209 Response from PJ in Oxfordshire
| Pronouns | She/her |
|---|---|
| Name up to three clutter problem areas in your home. These may be physical spaces, categories of stuff, or collections of items that you usually or chronically find difficult to get clear—or keep clear—of clutter. | (1) The far side of the bed habitually returns to a state of Mount Doom... whenever someone comes over to visit, that's where the Bags of Doom from the rest of the house go to get them out of the way. I'm slowly working through everything to get the whole volume of stuff down - and doing great thanks to Clutter Fairy!! (2) The car - glove compartment & side pockets in doors. During travel, things just get flung into a pocket or the glove, to get them out of the way. I usually forget to empty them out once I'm home. |
| For any of the problem areas you identified in your answer to the previous question, list factors that contribute to your difficulty decluttering in these areas. | (1) Mount Doom - it's easy to overlook as it's the blind side of the bed, so I don't usually go over there. It grows until it emerges over the top of the bed, and then I get overwhelmed thinking about the effort it's going to take to blitz it. I have found that body doubling works really well to tackle it - if I can find someone who's generous enough to spend an hour sitting with me chatting! (2) Glove compartment - out of sight, out of mind. I guess that's the same as (1) above. |
| Name up to three clutter “sweet spots” in your home. These may be physical spaces, categories of stuff, or collections of items that you usually find relatively easy to keep decluttered and organized. | (1) Bathroom lotions & potions - had a MASSIVE clear-out end of last year, and have kept it really lean since - so proud of myself! Made some recycled sari cloth baskets (about 6"W x 10"L x 6"H) I keep in the bathroom - one for first aid, one for makeup, and one for backstock (shampoo, earbuds, soap, toothpaste, etc.). Using the "container principle", I only buy to replace things that I've used up or go out of date (for instance - eye makeup goes out of date quite quickly). (2) Front porch area - I found a wooden crate bookcase on Facebook Marketplace, and keep baskets to sort "outdoor" things - one for "dog", one for "scarves/hats/gloves", one for "car stuff that doesn't need to live in the car". I also only have two hooks, so can only keep three jackets (light raincoat, fleecy jacket, and heavy winter coat) one one, and hang a fabric bag full of reusable shopping bags on the other to take to the store. I have a ceramic boot for umbrellas & walking sticks, and a bowl for the house/car keys, walking torch, and lip balm. It's AMAZING having everything in one place - proper game changer as I often have a 1000 things going round my head & could easily forget something important if it was hidden amongst lots of unimportant clutter. |
| For any of the “sweet spots” you identified in your answer to the previous question, list factors that contribute to your ease in (or even enjoyment of) maintaining these areas. | My bathroom routine is so much simpler & really quick now - I only have what I actually use & I can find it really easily. It's easier to keep clean, and I can't exceed the boundaries of the cloth baskets - that's my cue to rein myself back in from spending! The front door routine is likewise so simple to keep up - everything has a place. Even if I come in in a rush - with a wet dog, shopping, etc. - and things get dropped on the floor, it's super easy to go back & reset the space when I get a chance, because there just isn't that much there anymore. If I find a hat somewhere else in the house, it needs to come to the front porch & live in its basket. |
| What’s an item or category of stuff that you feel as if you could never get too much of? | haha - so many 🙂 ice cream flavours, fabric for quilting, tiny little miniature jugs (glass, metal, china, etc.), books, interesting rocks, heart decorations, fairy lights, Pinterest images, family photographs, stud earrings, cross-stitch patterns, music CDs, weird little plants sold at a massive discount at the garden centre... |
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