Survey #248—Full Response from Allison
| Pronouns | She/her |
|---|---|
| What useful decluttering or organizing strategies or methods did you take away from the book? | I want to say from the start that I really, really, really hated this book. Absolutely hated it. There was nothing useful at all for me. That said, Sasaki's observation that you can let go of something may lead to a chain effect -- such as his letting go of the TV led to decluttering game consoles, DVR, etc. -- might be handy for someone else. |
| What parts or aspects of the book did you find difficult to grasp or challenging to apply to your home or situation? | Sasaki continually extrapolated his personal experience to everyone else. "We're desperate to convey our own worth, our own value to others. We use objects to tell people just how valuable we are." (page 69) "I was desperate to convey my worth through my books." (page 75) Ookayyy. Just because he was deeply insecure doesn't mean the rest of us are. I have (few) books because I like them not to impress anyone. |
| Please share your favorite quotations or key takeaways from this book. | The emphasis on gratitude at the end of the book. |
| When you hear the word “minimalism” used to describe a lifestyle, what do you think of? | A lot of people, including family members, are minimalists and have relatively few items in their households. They don't write books about not owning things. They simply go about their lives. People like Sasaki who do write books about minimalism are extremists. I am not an extremist and don't want to be one. |
| “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? | Only if you are absolutely unwilling to get rid of things. I am unwilling to toss my toothbrush so I guess it owns me. I'm okay with that. |
| 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. | If you do another episode on minimalism in the future there are many other minimalists such as Francine Jay and Courtney Carver to discuss. Fumio Sasaki readily admits to having no family and no close friends. Jay, Carver, and others live lives much more similar to your audience. |
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