Survey #246—Full Response from CHRISTINE
| Describe ways in which clutter has interfered with your ability to entertain visitors or host guests in your home. | am I embarrassed. . a few hours ago, for this Valentine's day, I had an unexpected delivery of flowers. (the first delivery of flowers to me in 2 decades, so it was unexpected). I let the delivery young man inside the house.....which was a complete mess ! Recovering from illnesses, no one to help me pick up house, much less clean it. for now, I am not allowing visitors or guests in the house. I just would like to have the house in order enough for the delivery people. |
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| If you could wave a magic wand to make all your clutter disappear or become beautifully organized in an instant, what kinds of entertaining would you like to do in your theoretical “perfect” space? | take care of babies in my baby proofed house for 4 tiny grandchildren to stay over for a few days. with their adult parents too. I used to have a friend over for tea, but those days are over , while my grandchildren need me. my adult children really enjoy a "semi formal" dinner here, because they are too busy with careers to do that. but they do enjoy the semi-formality aspect. |
| What would you consider the bare minimum requirements you’d need to achieve to get your space into shape for entertaining? | Put everything away !!!! clear all surfaces... no clutter in view wash the wood floors clean all bathrooms perfectly air out the rooms, if it is not winter for overnight guests.... give them new pillows, just washed or new sheets/blankets/bedspreads. and get rid of all throw pillows, stuffed animals, and duvets or thick quilts. those cannot be washed,, so they just are harboring all kinds of viruses these days. p.s. a "washable" pillow is an oxymoron. it is impossible to get the inner fibers of a pillow or a duvet or quilt clean. I have learned from hotels and hospitals (they have to keep bedding sanitary). that a few thinner blankets, or thin bedspreads, can be sanitized. but a thick duvet or bedspread cannot even fit into washing machines, even commercial ones. |
| How has your concept of entertaining evolved over the years? Do the materials, equipment, and supplies you possess—such as special cookware, extra tableware, serving dishes, decorations, party games, etc.—still support the types of event you’d like to host? | Thanks to you both, Gayle and Ed, I still have semi formal dinners for my out of state family. ... which they still ask for because they want it but are too busy to do that themselves, But I decreased my "entertaining" stuff by 50%. by donating the top half of the dining room hutch, the thick table pads, all the serving dishes, all holiday decor, and the big tablecloths. The meal is buffet style from the kitchen ,where food can be kept warm in beautiful All-Clad pot and pans, that I used to cook them in. I replaced all the tablecloths (those used to take me hours to wash and iron ) with placemats. The only "decor" is fresh fruit, or greenery, in bowls, candlesticks. . Famed art on the walls, is not in the way, Now, my dining room is " a room for all seasons". not one holiday. p.s. tablecloths:... someone spilled a glass of water on the table during dinner. water soaked through the tablecloth, under the table pad, and on to the wood table. While dinner progressed, I knew water was ruining my good wood table. Now, using just placemats instead of , I can wipe up spills easily and replace the placemat. |
| 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). If we think that your question—and our answer—might be useful or instructive to The Clutter Fairy Weekly audience, we’ll share them in an upcoming episode. | What is the best way to handle people when you visit and they have unsanitary conditions? My friend used to clean her inlaws' cutlery, before she would use it, because it was not perfectly clean. That created a huge family war. What would you both have done in her case? |
| Future topics | You mentioned Dana K White several times, so I googled her. Google's first link was a ten minute you tube video of her hot gluing a collection of cowboy boots and other clutter to book case shelves. OMG. that is the opposite of decluttering! Her best advice is to hot glue clutter onto bookcases , so that the clutter is there forever,, in full view all the time ? I think that is not normal. This might be a part of her link with ADHD brain problems. I did not know that disability would take clutter to such a permanent extreme. Apparently, her background is in theatre, and she appears very theatrical and intense, , which is probably why she is good at getting mass media attention. She has had zero professional experience in decluttering. She is advising the exact opposite of decluttering...She is advocating of hot gluing our clutter onto bookcase shelves, for everyone to look at all day long. OMG ! |
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