Survey #248—Full Response from Gabriella
| Pronouns | She/her |
|---|---|
| What useful decluttering or organizing strategies or methods did you take away from the book? | I am intrigued by the question "What if you started from scratch?" Since I've metabolized so much information about minimalism / decluttering etc. during the past years, the book has not really revealed that many new things about minimalism to me personally. I generally agree with its view on minimalism though. As for the list of tips, I appreciate them and believe that most of them can be extremely useful to different people. A number of them would not work for me personally though. I've developed my special concoction of decluttering methods that suits my idiosyncrasies :o) |
| What parts or aspects of the book did you find difficult to grasp or challenging to apply to your home or situation? | "Say goodbye to who you used to be." Even though I've changed over the years, there are aspects of me that have remained the same and which I want to keep (as well as sparse number of items representing this part of my identity). An example is my playfulness, which I enjoy and cherish. Of course, in other aspects of my life, I've let go of things, ways of living and attitudes - but I choose which ones to let go of or which to keep. I am aware, however, that on another level, the past and the future are mere representations in our mind and only the presence exists. |
| Please share your favorite quotations or key takeaways from this book. | "What if you started from scratch?" provides food for thought and an invitation to a gedankenexperiment. "Minimalism is a method and a beginning." (Although I believe that minimalism is only one among a multitude of other methods and ways to begin.) |
| When you hear the word “minimalism” used to describe a lifestyle, what do you think of? | To me minimalism (i. e. the material side of it) means intentionally surrounding oneself with the objects that create value in one's life. What this actually looks like depends on the individual who is living minimally. Since I love Japanese aesthetics and feel drawn to zen, I feel very "comfortable" with Sasaki's perspective. |
| “The things you own end up owning you.”* To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement? How is it relevant to your stuff? | I think that it's in our power to determine the extent to which we allow these things to own us. |
| 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. | How can you best prepare for and "survive" major home makeovers / renovations without overwhelm and weeks and months of struggling to get back to a normal routine afterwards? |
| Future topics | No man is an island.... and neither is a random item cluttering up your home. |
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