Comments on: Repercussions of uncluttering and organizing

By: Dia

Dia — Sat, 21 Aug 2010 07:21:09 +0000

I like Alix’s ‘archeological dig!’ & like JustGail, I often find my energy fizzles before the project is over! As a kid, I’d clear my bedroom out into the hallway – then . . . . but would have to get it back in my room before my dad got home from work!
Now I try to do ‘bite size’ pieces, & not get ahead of myself! A timer works well – I like some of the ideas on ‘fly-lady’ – set the timer in 15 minute increments, & give yourself breaks ~ every hour; only get out what you can put away in the time frame . . .

I’m a Virgo, & recall reading that one of the problems we can have with organizing/neatness is perfectionism – if it’s not PERFECT it begins to frustrate us, so ‘why bother,’ …. & I often feel ‘but I just cleaned/washed/straightened that – & it needs to be done AGAIN??’

By: Ange

Ange — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 22:45:19 +0000

I’m going to wholeheartedly echo the bandages. Every single time I’ve decluttered, I’ve nicked some part of my hand. (Yesterday, cleaning out the supply closet at my work; two days ago, cleaning out the laundry room shelf…)

Also, arnica cream works well if you bruise easily like some people who can’t not run into things or smash their shins on open doors.

Not a klutz, just a declutterer!

By: heatherK

heatherK — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 22:31:40 +0000

@WilliamB: Yes, you hit the nail on the head regarding the possibility of resentment.

Am I the only one who things a downside of decluttering is regret? I’ve gotten rid of things, thinking it was for the best (never will use it; it’s been sitting around for far too long; etc), but then later regretting it because I realized it actually *was* important to me (sentimental item), I discovered a need/use for it, or someone I know could have legitimately used it. And for the things I don’t care to have back, I wished that at the very least I would have known to photograph them and make a list of what I got rid of so that in the future, I don’t go crazy looking for something I got rid of.

My mind gets so entrenched in the decluttering mode that I don’t think of these things until way too late.

By: Treespeed

Treespeed — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 21:12:14 +0000

Heather and Carol,

Thank you for the advice.

“I’m sorry, but that’s not possible,” is going to become a new part of my vocab.

By: Carol

Carol — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 18:51:17 +0000

@Treespeed: I used to have a problem with relatives giving me stuff to “keep” for them whilst they pursued (for example) a move across the country with only the stuff they could fit into their truck so “could I please keep this and this and this” for them…..that was years ago and eventually when we moved I contacted that relative and asked them to come and get their stuff. Surprise surprise they replied, “thanks but you can pitch it — I don’t want it/can’t get it here/don’t want to pay to store it etc.,” — okay. After that experience, and after seeing how much stuff my parents (one of whom has now passed) kept from THEIR parents and from their lives (and have consequently moved from house to house to house over a period of 50 years) I now have made it clear (on several occasions and it is working) in very matter of fact, but nice, ways, that I don’t have the space to keep things for people — that if they really want to keep something they might consider a self-storage option. I also suggest they “do the math” on what that will cost them over time and to ask themselves if it is worth keeping/paying for like that (just can’t help myself)…but the MOST effective thing I have done is let them know (again, not in a mean haughty way,but in a firm, “I am SO not kidding” way) that if something/anything is in MY house or garage, it is now MINE to disposition. Meaning….if you leave it here, I am not keeping it FOR you – you’re GIVING IT TO ME…and (brace yerself), I *will* almost certainly, sell it (and keep the money), or give it away, or throw it out, depending on what it is. They know I mean it because they’ve seen what I’ve gotten rid of that my husband and I have dispositioned of our own. They know I mean it because when I tell them this sort of thing, I do have (purposely) a bit of a crazy gleam in my eye. I tell them that I LIKE CLEAR SPACES, and they know when they’re over at my house and they decide to just dump their stuff willy-nilly on kitchen counters and surfaces, more often that not (okay, ALL the time) they’ll find I’ve picked it up and moved it somewhere into a neat little pile so I can work in my kitchen effectively, or place the food on the coffee table in a nice design with the flower vase and the napkins without everything butting up against whatever they plopped on the coffee table when they first walked in.

So they think I’m a bit nuts.

That’s okay. It’s workin’ for me!

By: Alix

Alix — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 17:58:19 +0000

I find the toughest thing about uncluttering is that, the more you do, the more you find you *have* to do! Sometimes clutter doesn’t look like clutter until other things have been taken away, and you can see it more clearly. Then you look at an object and say, why is this thing hanging around?

So I try to look at uncluttering as an archeological dig — you don’t uncover a site all at once; you slowly process the layers, one beneath the other, until there’s no more to be found. And assume that this process will take longer than you ever expected!

By: Mary Denny

Mary Denny — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 05:00:22 +0000

Yeah I would love to make money off of some of my better items I am chucking but ebay, etc was fun the first few times, then it’s work. I don’t want to hold onto anything I already decided to get rid of, because I would change my mind. I have to get it out of sight and in the trunk or garbage or call the recipient of the gift asap. Besides I feel the universe will balance everything out for my needs if I give to charity or someone who needs it.

By: Noelle

Noelle — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 02:02:05 +0000

@jdbeany: Ditto about the packrat friends who are worried that one will be tossing a treasure. And yet, they usually don’t want it either if you offer. They have enough junk of their own.

Also the friends who suggest that you should try to “sell it on ebay/craigslist/at a garage sale” and make some money. Thanks, but I’ve already given this stuff enough of my time and energy, I just want it gone. I’m happy to let Goodwill or whomever get the financial benefits; I want the clear space.

By: JustGail

JustGail — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 22:22:47 +0000

I can’t say it’s resulting from decluttering or organizing, but one of the biggest issues I’ve found is – if I’m not involved, things get moved around and I have no idea where they are. Worse is if things are just moved or re-arranged, often stuff is put places just because it fits, and is no where near the items it’s used with are. I now have about 4 places to look for my gardening things, should I decide to try to find them. Much easier to just buy new.

Also, finishing the task is often tough for me. I get started decluttering, and then…..the effort fizzles out. Sometimes it’s due to indecision (“I know I don’t use this, but…”), sometimes due to perfectionism (waiting for the perfect storage item), sometimes due to fear of getting rid of the wrong things (“the last time I threw out those boxes, I needed one the next week”). Sometimes, while decluttering, the realization of how much money I’d spent on some of it is rather depressing, and I quit.

About 10 years ago, I would have said trying to declutter with the Dear Sweet Child around. He had a major case of “oooh can I have that?”. Fortunately now at 15, he has no interest in my decluttering, and does well at decluttering his own things about 2 times a year.

Still, I keep making taking a whack at the job every few weeks. A few items out are better than no items.

By: tizzyfit

tizzyfit — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 20:08:43 +0000

the space it takes to pull everything out of a closet or attic and actually go through it, and once its out and your sorting it, there is more space needed for the sorted items to live until you put them away or donate them or find them homes.
Also asking a friend for help ultimately leads them to find interest in some of the stuff and make me second guess myself for getting rid of it.
decluttering never happens in one day for me and living with the mess it creates can be VERY stressful.

By: zac

zac — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 18:46:58 +0000

Although I am always partial to introspection, I found decluttering induced a certain amount of unintentional self examination. It isn’t necessarily bad, but having a pristine room and office with little else in it also means there are significantly fewer distractions. Ultimately I think it a good thing, but one the unwitting declutterer ought to prepare for.

By: Grammie Linda

Grammie Linda — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 16:15:24 +0000

Another repercussion is that someone with grown children may find out that the young adults are not interested in the things that you carefully stored all these years, expecting to pass them on. They may only be interested in USEFUL things and/or things that they REMEMBER fondly. This is another reason to keep things only if you are going to use them. If the kids have never experienced the item, have no fond memories of its place at the dining table, they would be much less likely to want it.

By: Heather

Heather — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 14:55:36 +0000

@Tracy, that’s an excellent point. Taking the medicine beforehand as prevention also allows you to take a milder, less drowsy antihistamine, rather than having to take something stronger to counteract a reaction that’s already started. I do the same before I visit friends who have cats, so I can play with their pets without getting itchy.

By: Tracy

Tracy — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 13:56:10 +0000

I have allergies, asthma, pets AND a farm. My allergy/asthma specialist says that you should take a the over-the-counter antihistamine (such as Claritin/loratidine) 30 to 60 minutes BEFORE starting tasks that might cause you problems. Then the medication helps you avoid the allergic reaction, not just try to do a quick fix once a problem has started. It is both more effective and safer especially if you have asthma. The dust masks are a good idea too, but I have problems breathing that “warmed” (used) air if it isn’t cold winter air.

By: WilliamB

WilliamB — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 13:38:04 +0000

@Victoria – Decluttering causes a MESS!

SOOO true! It’s what makes getting started hard – where are you supposed to put your stuff while you sort thru it? Once, when I moved in with someone and we both needed to do a lot of sorting, we agreed to leave the small bedroom empty (which meant stuffing our desks into our bedrooms) so we’d have staging space. It was such a luxury!

Another downside, if you live with someone: resentment. It’s not inevitable, thankfully. But the declutter could resent the other for not doing it, or for relying on the declutter for doing it, or for occupying the space ze just decluttered. The other could resent the declutter for changing things, or getting rid of the “wrong” stuff, or perhaps even for making the other feel guilty about not decluttering.