Below are the results of our survey about audience experiences related to the topic for episode #201 of The Clutter Fairy Weekly. If you haven’t already done so, please take the survey.
We asked our audience to choose from among several options the one that best describes your feelings about Valentine’s Day. (Respondents who chose the “Other” option were given a chance to elaborate. You can see those responses in the table below.)
Note: Hover over any pie slice in the chart to see the name of the category and the number of respondents who selected that answer. (Mobile users: Click on the slices for details.)
To view the detailed survey response from any respondent, click on their name in the table below. (You may also find it easier to read long responses in the detailed view.)
| Name (click to view full survey response and comments) | Describe an experience in which clutter had a negative impact on a relationship. | Describe an item that evokes a strong association or memories of a person you love. | How might reducing your clutter or making your home more organized affect your most important relationships or affect your health, happiness, wellbeing, attitude, or mood? | Choose the option that best describes your feelings about Valentine’s Day: | If you answered “Other,,” please elaborate. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C. C. | The stories are too many to tell and some down right triggering. But, those causing head injury or permanent damage to the body because of dmfalls are just Not worth it! | My grandmother's red glassware. Love to use it on holidays and birthdays. | A clean and tidy home helps me on all levels of relationship from my faith, to my physical and mental health, joy in my marriage and in my relationship with my kids. A tidy home helps me want to get out more and have company over. | It’s a special day for my spouse or partner to pamper and spoil me. | |
| Anonymous user | Avoided making plans if I thought people would need to come to my house. My house was in a location that it would have made a good meet up place - it was so stressful to come up with an alternate meet up plan. Sometimes it was just easier to pass on making plans. | Can't think of anything right now | It's not good for a relationship when your home is a stress point even before you start to think about home repairs, improvements, family visits, etc. It's hard to clean when there's so much stuff everywhere and the existence of the clutter makes it hard to work together to make progress. The amount of stuff wasn't extreme (but also not minor), but if you reach a point where you don't want people to come in and being in your house is draining, how much does it matter if it's a smaller or larger amount of stuff? We are in a larger space now and have also have gotten rid of a huge quantity of things. Also severely slowed down on the incoming stuff. Still have more to do, but that stress factor is much reduced. Anything that reduces stress for the both of us can only help the relationship. | Other | We don't really do Valentine's Day. Nothing against it - I don't feel that it's BS, but it is kind of a commercial day. I like the idea of demonstrating appreciation often during the year and not just channeled into a required holiday. That said, I know to some folks it is very important to be acknowledged on those commercial days and if that's the case, it would be wise for the relationship to show up in the way they'd like. |
| Mikey | I was never allowed to have friends over growing up due to my mother's hoarding | An art easel that was my grandmother's. She was an artist, a painter and the easel is large and wooden and covered in paint from her working with it over the years. | If our home was more clean and organized we would be able to navigate the house more comfortably, we would waste less money and time looking for or replacing lost objects, we would argue less often as many of our arguments are about the mess, we would be able to have company over and I believe everyone's mood would overall be greatly improved as living in the mess keeps us stressed and depressed. | Other | It's a mix of all of the above! Some years I am more positive about it and some years more cynical. Over all I think it's a nice opportunity to share love with those we care about, if we wish! And the candy and heart decorations are a plus |
| Anonymous user | Living with clutter with a family of mother, father and five children can cause chaos quickly. Just getting out the door on time can be harried: where's my shoe? Where's my homework? Where are the car keys? Living in such a stressful, negative situation myself caused me to start finding solutions and started me on my journey to be more organized and less cluttered. | There are many to choose from, but the first thing that comes to mind is my grandmother's large, oval aluminum pot and lid. It's one of three things that I have of hers. It makes me think of running up to her and our hugging each other, her little home, her crocheted items and much more about her. | Reducing clutter and having things organized makes finding things much easier, makes cleaning, preparing for the day, and cooking easier; reduces stress, and makes a more uplifting atmosphere. Reducing clutter and organizing things at home reduces health hazards such as tripping, things falling over, causing fire and injuries, and breathing dust and mold. Reducing clutter also reduces dealing with pests such as insects and rodents, and also the predators that prey on them; for example, having scorpions that prey on roaches and crickets or rattlesnakes that prey on rodents, etc. | Other | Valentine's Day is a fun day to let my friends and family know I love them. Happy Valentine's Day! |
| Dawn | My DH has an extremely low tolerance for clutter. I had two packages of meat in the refrigerator and he called it "outrageous." He thinks they need to be in the freezer immediately after getting home from the grocery store. As well, I had cleaned up my office and nearly a week later there were just a few things on my desk and he comments, "Your office is getting to look a bit messy again." | My mother passed away in 2019. One of the FEW items I took was an ornate pottery (?) basket which Mom had in her bathroom. It's SO pretty. She just had it sitting on top of the toilet tank, but I use it to house my scrunchies. It's beige with a light aqua and gold design. WIsh I could show you a picture. | DH would have a lot less to complain about when it comes to me. A challenge within it all is, DH doesn't like change, so it's even a challenge to sort through things in his presence. He can't get the concept, in order for things to look better, they need to be disorganized for a time. | Other | When I was single for so many years (50), it was low on the list, along with Halloween. Now there may be a card, but definitely not on the level of pampering! |
| Squirtle | My aunt and uncle’s house growing up had towers of stacked and loose piles of laundry on it so we often sat on the floor instead. They joked it was their laundry station. When I went to stay at my friend’s house, we cleared a section of her room to put down a bed on the floor for me to sleep on. When we cleared the clothes and items from the floor, live insects were crawling in the carpet. We vacuumed up the insects… it gives me the oobie joobies thinking about it! | I have a necklace that was my great great grandmother’s. I think it’s from the 1900-1920s time period, Edwardian/Art Deco decorative filigree with a larger gem. I’m told it’s “costume jewelry” and has no value when I took it to a jewelers asking for help repairing it, but to me it’s sentimental and I remember liking it seeing it in my grandmother’s jewelry collection growing up. The jeweler wouldn’t help repair it since it “had no value”. 😑 100+ year old costume jewelry looks very bougie and cool! | Less tripping on items! More room space and less “storage” of items along the walls. | It’s a magical day for me to acknowledge the love I feel for my special someone. | |
| Peggy | Our daughter and her 2 kids lived with us for over 4 years. She calls herself a hoarder and she is definitely on the spectrum. It was a very difficult time for me, because of the stuff, not because of the loved ones. When they moved out, I was able to restore peace in our home. | We have a lamp by the front door that my mother bought for me. I had only mentioned how much I liked it once, while we were wandering around a department store. I was very touched that she remembered and gifted it to me months later. It has been decades, and I still like the lamp a lot. This item has allowed me to part with other, less favored, gifts from her. | I keep a large mound of boxes in the garage in order to help my "hoarder" daughter declutter (when she allows it). My husband fusses about the boxes once in a while and I don't blame him. They are in the way but as long as they are serving the purpose, they will stay. | Other | Every commercial holiday I request "no gifts" from my husband. I say that I will notify him if I want something 🙂 |
| PJ | My love life has completely stalled for 15 years as my house is so full there is literally no room for another person - not only am I ashamed to show someone else how I live, but if it worked out between us, how would I sort through it all in time to move out, or for them to move in? It would take years, but I'm working on it now, because you never know - love could be just around the corner 🙂 | I still have my engagement ring from an ex, it's a beautiful ring which is completely me, even to the point that he chose one with diamonds that are flush with the band as I'm so clumsy I would have scratched everything in sight! But if I actually put it on - on a different finger - I get flooded by the bad memories. | Reducing clutter would allow me to invite family to stay in comfort - which would be such a gift to spend more time with them. My mother is also cluttered and the spare bedrooms at her house are full of things (which maybe where I inherited my tendencies). I dream of a spare bedroom with a lovely comfy bed for guests, space to hang their clothes and store things in drawers while they stay. This dream is keeping me motivated to clear out the spare bedroom - I will get there this year!!! | It’s the day right before the best discounts of the year on chocolate. | |
| Luz Maria (I always go by my first and middle name) | In 2021 and 2022, I lost out on $1025 dollars of my FSA (Flexible Spending Account) money as I couldn't find my receipts. And then only to discover that I could've gotten duplicates of same and submitted before missing the deadline but my anxiety was through the rough and I was just plain useless. So pissed at myself. | I have my father and grandfather's albums (45's, 33's and 78's) that I love. I used to sit with them and listen to our traditional music (Jibaro music, pronounced as Hee ba ro). This is traditional country/mountain music in Puerto Rico. | O gosh. I've really been thinking about this alot lately. Firstly, I wouldn't be so stressed from all the clutter I have. Thinking about how much I have, why do I have it. Being pissed at the money that has been spent; sometimes multiple times because I've bout dups or thirds cause I couldn't find the original item purchased. Having less (much less) and having it organized would make me happy. I could be artistic with my cooking and baking and sewing at any giving moment because I wouldn't be prevented by my clutter. This in turn would support my wellbeing by allowing me to have a better attitude (no longer feeling despair). | Other | It's just another day. |
| CHRISTINE | I THINK MANY PEOPLE GET DIVORCED JUST TO RUN AWAY FROM THE MASSIVE AMOUNT OF CLUTTER, AND ESPEICALLY PAPERWORK, THAT ACCUMULATE OVER DECADES. THE "RESPONSIBLE PARTY" STAYS AND DEALS WITH THE MESS,,,,,AND THE SELFISH PERSON RUNS AWAY FROM THE MESS..AND LEAVES IT FOR SOMEONE ELSE TO DEAL WITH.... A GROWN CHILD OR EX-SPOUSE | MY MOTHER'S ANTIQUE SECRETARY CABINET...THAT I GREW UP WITH AND STILL HAVE. VERY SMALL PIECES OF POTTERY, MY SONS MADE WHEN THEY WERE SMALL | IF I DIE IN A CAR CRASH, I DO NOT WANT MY ADULT SONS TO HAVE TO DEAL WITH MY CLUTTER.....ESPECIALLY THE PAPERWORK AND PHOTOS. THAT IS MY GIFT TO THEM. TO GIVE THEM LESS TO DEAL WITH WHEN I AM GONE | Other | TO CELEBRATE WITH MY TINY GRANDCHILDREN |
| Evelin | I never invite anyone over and my husband thinks I´m a bad housekeeper. | My parents were divorced about 18 years ago and my Mum passed 9 years ago. About one year ago I shredded all her divorce files, it felt cathartic. | Less clutter should make it easier to focus on a healthier lifestyle. | It’s a B.S. “Hallmark holiday” designed to sell jewelry, greeting cards, stuffed animals, and candy. | |
| Anonymous user | My sons held back from inviting other than friends from our street for most of their school years. I think a girlfriend was even lost to one because she never made it through the doors, even when she badly wanted to place his gift under our Christmas tree. As adults my children have experiences of what they missed out on because of clutter. 😓 | I have a decor item from the ‘70 of 2 red hearts with a groovy LOVE across it. Remember the wall art fad that was melted plastic in whatever shape with minimal solid colours? Like a yellow circle with the black dot eyes and smile? I got my LOVE wall hanging when Mom and Dad returned from one of their 2 driving vacations. 6 pieces and I’m guessing my being the oldest of 6, I chose first or fastest. It went with my sister’s and my bright beautiful red shag carpet. I felt loved every minute of every day. | Reducing clutter AND making my home more organized affects my relationship with my sons for the better. Bit by bit it alleviates the mental burden and level of dread they are expecting to deal with upon my death. It also allows them and me to have more fun when we’re together because it is so easy to get a meal going or pull out a game to play. And I feel so much better when anyone wants something that they remember not having a home and I can direct them exactly to where the item now has a home. | It’s a B.S. “Hallmark holiday” designed to sell jewelry, greeting cards, stuffed animals, and candy. | |
| Marcia | Having layers of unhomed items cause stress and a nagging feeling of "gotta do something" with all of these "resources" and "unaccomplished tasks". Stress from not feeling comfortable in letting others see this mess. Feeling guilty by not having everything put away, ready to use, while maintaining a tranquil inviting living space. Disorganized resources are expensive when gift cards are lost or expired (one rebate of $400) and when duplicate unneeded items are purchased when original item is hiding. This causes mental and physical fatigue with "woulda coulda shoulda" thinking and the dread of conquering this massive ongoing project. Feels like starting from the back of the race and never catching up ... "Got to get my motor running" without delay as soon as I find a round "to it" coin. That is my viewpoint. Fortunately my husband is very patient..only requesting meals laundry walks together and panicked clean up prior to company's arrival. He has mentioned that the visual disorder does interrupt his peace. He does not try to move things or berate me because he knows that increases my anxiety. I also desire to live in a calm and clear environment and am working toward that goal one piece of paper, one item sorted and evaluated, and one Clutter Fairy video at a time! Thank you Gayle, Ed, and Clutter Fairy Community for providing encouragement, practical tips, motivation and hope. | My Mom's, Grandmother's and Mother in love's jewelry...I always think of each of them giving me a hug when I wear the jewelry pieces. Also Photos...very strong memories of people still here and some gone and activities I had forgotten but joyfully remember when I look through photos. I also take a picture of them with my phone and forward that digital image via text to someone whom I want to share that memory. | Yes this question is a great and constant reminder of why I so eagerly soak up all your helps. Less clutter and better organization is the goal and KEY to a visual calm and physical ease in living. All relationships would be improved by removing the distracting display of the... "dis-ease" .... of knowing "something needs to be done". | It’s a magical day for me to acknowledge the love I feel for my special someone. | |
| Kathy | My mother made us each a Santa stocking out of felt when we were kids. Each child's stocking had a different theme. Unfortunately, the felt and cotton batting and other embellishments didn't stand the test of time. It took me a few years after she passed, but I finally just took a picture and put the stocking in the trash bag. I've never looked at the picture; I found I don't need to as I remember that stocking when it was new and fresh and not looking like the mice had chewed on it. | I would be able to have more "guilt free" fun time on Saturdays if my house was in better shape and cleaning didn't take as long. I work fulltime, so Saturdays are my biggest block of time for getting chores, including decluttering, done. | It’s a magical day for me to acknowledge the love I feel for my special someone. | ||
| Marsh (MarshMellow) | My family of origin came through the Depression experiencing extreme wealth to overnight losing it all. As I grew up I realized the shameful impact it had on my Family as we rarely had any events in our home. IF we had people over the only rooms available were the dining room, bathroom and living room for the 'clutter [nothing was ever thrown away} had just been shoved into the downstairs closets, our respective bedrooms and all the doors shut then locked. | My item is the one and only picture I was able to salvage from the water-ruined storage unit of my Beloved Husband and I as we shared our very first kiss on our wedding day. Out of 17 photos - I was blessed to save this one. As of this survey Today, Saturday Feb 10th 2024 - would have been our 20th Wedding Anniversary. Thank you Gayle for your Clutter Fairy for if I had not found you, Ed and our community - I would not have had the healing or courage to clear out my storage unit - possibly losing this one photograph forever. I am so grateful for you Gayle and all that you have brought to so many of us. | Starting with my mood for I am tired of being grumpy in regards to my reducing the cluttered home I live in. The "stuff" as I process through it - promotes inside of me sourness of attitude. I truly want to embrace a clear, clean, open, organized AND organic space with in my home. Itty bitty steps to be healthier, definitely happier along with inviting others inside to just enjoy being with each other and me. FOR THE BETTER! | Other | It is the day after as I love to buy myself some white chocolate on sale = yet more important, I always find someone in my travels to wish it forward to them to have a Lovely Happy Valentines Day! The smiles I have witnessed are the real magic of this day!! |
| Jean | The husband who can’t let go of his enormous college room speakers…I live in their shadow. And they don’t work, their woofers and tweeters have disintegrated! | One of those peasant dresses, at one time it was all elastic. Most comfortable dress ever, 53 years ago. | The paper clutter in their boxes shout for me to let them free! | Other | It’s fun to read messages on the candy hearts |
| Brigitte | My hubby lóves to keep… Sport magazines, things of the many hobbies he has (had), boxes of iPhones and other Apple stuff, old floppy discs and so much more. We had countless discussions about it, still nearly nothing changed. Jaime to let it go, but that is everything but easy.🥺 | My mother had very vulnerable tea china of ‘a thousand Buddha’s’. Even though I haven’t used it for many many years, it still ‘lives’ on a prominent spot in my small kitchen behind glass and it lovingly reminds me of the few good moments we had together when I was a little girl… | I have decluttered most of our home concerning my own clutter. Hubby’s clutter is still here. In my own room I feel joy, whenever I pass it and/or enter it. And I would never ever fall back into the old situation. It is a paradox, I know, still decluttering has enriched me more than I could have ever imagined! | Other | It’s just one day as all the others. What I like is that I find chocolate hearts in shops to spoile hubby and me with them😃 |
| Jane from Saskatchewan | A family member stores, old movies books and other old not useful items in the garden shed. The hoe s and other gardening tools are now outside the shed. Makes one feel that their stuff is more important than others and relationships. | Less stuff, more time for living. | It’s a B.S. “Hallmark holiday” designed to sell jewelry, greeting cards, stuffed animals, and candy. | ||
| Anonymous user | Other | It's an opportunity to let loved ones know I care about them. | |||
| Kathy | I remember as a teenager cleaning and organizing the house before someone came over. Our house was always cluttered growing up and it embarrassed me. As I became an adult and in charge of my own home, I realized how easy a home became cluttered and what a challenge it could be to keep it neat. However, I am at a point in my years long decluttering jouney that I have control over most of my clutter (not the basement!) or at least can manage it pretty well. | Something that I own - a floppy hat that belonged to my father who is still living. It reminds me of happy vacation memories with my parents and my family. Something that I let go - a small, porcelain bear that reminded me of my childhood, playing with a set of bears at my grandparents' house. I recently acquired the bear and was thrilled to have it. I displayed it on my mantle. Then I realized that I had delighted in the memory long before I had the bear. The bear didn' add to the memory so I let it go. Something very small yet it felt like a huge victory to me. | Since I've decluttered, my husband will remark how 'light" the house feels. He used to get upset with my paper disorganization, claiming I lost papers, gift cards, etc. I didn't - I knew they were in my piles and could always find what I needed. Although, truth be told, I always panicked before I laid hands on the item. However, he has recognized I have that under control now and his irritation has turned to teasing and we can laugh over it. | It’s a B.S. “Hallmark holiday” designed to sell jewelry, greeting cards, stuffed animals, and candy. | |
| Sue | I think my cluttered mind is the worst thing I battle with...it affects my being present in my day. I live alone so this question above is a little mute... But an example that my give you and Ed a smile.... I live in the UK..in an area of terraced houses ( joined together) no drive ways...so parking on the street is the only option..my house is very near a football ground which has no dedicated carpark...I parked my car on the street on a football day...walked home. Did not need my car for a few days... went to get my car the next time I needed it... could not find it anywhere in my street!!🤔 So I reported it stolen to the police. 3 days later I got a call that they had found my car 2 streets away where I had parked it on the road...I was truly embarrassed and felt so guilty - but I had no recollection of parking it there and sincerely thought I had parked in my own road!! | I have kept my dad's drum sticks...he had not played in a band since before I was born ( I am 62) but whenever he spoke of those times his face would light up like no other memory | I am on the other side of clutter keeping... I thought having all the stuff made me feel safe - but it makes my anxious...more to think about, curate and clean. I have to be mindful about bringing stuff in the house as the urge to collect is still there. I am a devoted fan as it's like a serial Dieter watch a program on eating...I used to be cluttered - and I could easily get back there...I just need to be vigilant !! | Other | No someone special here - except my dog 🤭 |
| Kathryn | When I was a little girl a dress not hung up got chewed up by mice. | My mom took this mouse chewed ate dress dress and created a new dress.. | Every time I now hang up and put away my clothes after wearing its a protective bubble from the memory as a little girl. | Other | I'm a Widow no one to create a memory or event for me. So I will create a anonymous surprise gift thought card for someone else. Brighten a corner where u are. |
| Anonymous user | I have a lot of hobbies. I am a seamstress and quilter. I also knit, crochet, enjoy scrapbooking and putting puzzles together and reading. I have a longarm and quilt for other people. I don’t like to clean up what I am working on until I finish. My sewing machines and longarm use to be in the den which most people used coming into the house. There was usually a fuss. The fussing caused me to not want to clean it up I don’t have to worry about his opinion anymore. We are divorced after 44 years. My sewing and quilting was not the problem. I have since moved my machines to another part of the house so I can keep the Den straight for customers coming with work for me to do. The living/diniing room where I work now still gets pretty cluttered when working. But I can clean up and eat when I am finished instead of having to put everything up and then get it back out the next day. | My son was killed in a car accident 13 years ago. The months before I died, I was having to go to the eye doctor a lot. I’ve had surgery in my right eye three times. My birthday was a week before he was killed. He found a birthday card with a beautiful dog wearing glasses . Inside he had written in memory of all the eye appointments and fun we had afterward. That card still sits on my dresser. | I am working on the clutter in the bedroom my embroidery machines and all of my fabric are stored in. The room became a dumping ground when I was painting the living and dining rooms. I am frustrated every time I have to go in the room. I have been slowly, about 30 minutes a day, going through stuff and sorting it. I’ve thrown out quite a bit and given some stuff away. I want to move my large embroidery machine in there. I have the smaller one already in there and everything sorted that goes with it. I moved 3 large 4x6x2 foot shelves in there my fabric is stored on and they are not organized the way I want. Some of my friends bring me scraps from stuff they have been working on and it needs to be sorted. | Other | My kids live 11 and 4 hours away. I have friends but no desire to remarry. A lot of my friends are married. It is pretty much just another day. Before I changed my eating habits I use to get chocolate valentine candy but succeeded in not doing that this year. So far😂. I have lost 50 pounds since last March. |
| Anonymous user | I don't have a place for guests to stay overnight because every room is cluttered. | I had a wooden plaque, with a bible verse, from my maternal grandmother. She used to have it hanging on a dining room wall when she was alive. I was hoping to put the plaque in the same place when I rented the house (1983 - 2004) from my mom and uncle. I haven't seen the plaque since I moved from my parents house in 1982. I had a gold locket from my paternal grandmother that was stolen, from my the house I was renting, in 1987. | The house looks like a mess. It reduces the abiltity to find things and get around for both my sister and myself. If the house was cleaned out, it might be possible to have remodeling done so that my mother could move back home from the assisted living facility. | Other | It reminds me that I don't have a romantic partner. |
| Hila | My doom partner lost pot and blame me. It was in her closet not in the kitchen | A cup that I love to use at old woman home. I took this to me when she passed away | Organized stuff make me fill calm instead of nervous | It’s the day right before the best discounts of the year on chocolate. | |
| Brenda | My mother always had a problem with clutter. Once she became an empty-nester, she became a hoarder. It was 29 years before I saw the inside of her house again. That evening as I stepped in my house I realized how close I was to that future as I had to step over things to get inside. NOT FOR ME!!! I have been on a journey to downsize ever since. I enjoy your insights, thank you. | I have my grandmother's carousel cookie jar I remember from childhood. | Definitely feel better when I know where to find things. I started with alot of clutter. The more space I declutter the better my brain is feels. | It’s the day right before the best discounts of the year on chocolate. | |
| Kara | A mother of children I babysat when I was a teen stopped by our house. She tripped over some kind of clutter that was on the floor, and I never was asked back to babysit. | Photos that are framed and hung that my father took. | Dealing with things in the garage would stop the nagging thoughts, shame and guilt that I should deal with them | Other | I love Valentine’s Day as it is the day before my birthday, and it just makes me feel more celebratory. |
| Anonymous user | I don't want company to go in the garage or my room due to clutter | A sailboat decor item that is 24" tall from an ex. I am ready to gift it to someone else. Relationship ended 5 years ago. | Feeling less depressed and anxious I may function better as a care taker, mom and grandma (4 generations in house). | It’s a B.S. “Hallmark holiday” designed to sell jewelry, greeting cards, stuffed animals, and candy. | |
| Cassandra | I’ve avoided relationships due to having to explain the clutter. | I still have my wedding rings from my marriage to my late husband. | I would love to be able to invite friends over to enjoy a movie and snacks if I didn’t have the clutter. | Other | Valentines Day is the semi annual anniversary of my husband’s passing so I don’t celebrate it. |
| Noreen | My boyfriend's habit of taking over my coffee table everytime he is here drives me crazy. Beverages, medicine, wallet, keys, food | Cabbage Patch doll my favorite aunt gave me at Christmas when I was an adult. I will never part with it. Miss my aunt every day. | Reducing my cluttered garage is definitely helping me move ahead with much needed projects. | Other | Some years its magical and some years it is BS |
| Eve | My daughter can't have anyone over due to the embarrassment of the state of our house. Clutter lines all the walls and every surface, despite being in neat piles, it is clear something is wrong. The clutter also interferes with her studying at home and is distracting, which means she spends long evenings at the library or at coffee shops. We miss her and want her back in our lives, but clutter is keeping us apart. | Not any one particular thing | I realized recently that if there was a lot less clutter, there would be room in the house for so many things I'd like to do including exercise equipment and other hobbies. Not having that obstacles to trying new things and bringing new items into my house that are truly useful and would encourage healthy activities, would be wonderful and woudl help with my overall health. | Other | I have always gotten sick on Valentines day. My partner doesn't believe in it, so getting sick seems to be my way of coping with the disappointment. So.... the BS answer is about right. |
| Anonymous user | Only one? I was invited to visit out-of-area friends a reasonable drive away on the weekend coming but everything was in such disarray (laundry, dishes, my condo) I had to decline so I could stay home and clean. More my end of relationship that suffered but it was lost fun. | A demitasse cup my sister purchased on a trip to England. Over the decades since her untimely death, I donated all the others in her collection of them. I kept only one of my few favorites. | I do live alone and further reducing my clutter will make it easier to get out of the house when I want to get together with friends and also make me more likely to invite friends over spur of the moment. | Other | |
| Celina | I live alone, so n/a | I have a coral from my native Aus, some memorabilla from my late grandma and some from my mum (who's still young and doing fine). I also have an image of a duck I drew when I was 2 and a postcard where I wrote letters for the first time. | I live alone, so the 2nd question: it'd make me less stressed about possible moves, less angry to dig through my stuff to find something, happier with the visual aspect of things and happy I don't have more than what I just need. | It’s a B.S. “Hallmark holiday” designed to sell jewelry, greeting cards, stuffed animals, and candy. | |
| rowan | I lived at a hoarded house. I say "at" because I rented the back porch (and access to a bathroom). for the first few months I was literally living in the midst of their piles of destroyed stuff (it got rained on so it was mildewed). I finally said I could not go on and the wife let me sort through and bin the items (I bought the bins) and I moved the bins to the driveway (this was in a very expensive area, no one was going to steal anything). Once I cleared the porch it was lovely but I finally moved. I saw that they could not have anyone to their home, no one was even supposed to know about the state of the house. Later I lived where one housemate lived with a lot of frustration and resentment because the head housemate stored his friends' stuff in the dining room and living room. He would not even give her room for a sewing machine (even though he had seven file cabinets and a clothes rack in the living room). A former housemate had left 4 large bins-worth of LP's - IN THE LIVING ROOM - and was very angry when I persuaded the current head housemate to let me bin them in the basement (and yes, I paid for the bins). I have a lot of feelings about people believing they are entitled to more space just because they have chosen to have more stuff. Not stuff that they physically need (mobility devices, etc) - stuff they have decided the world must accomodate because they "feel" they need it. [note to Ed & Gayle - you are welcome to read this out but considering most of your viewers, I think some judicious editing will be important so people will not feel attacked/insulted. thank you for reading this. | My housemate is very easy-going about the house (which he owns - I pay rent for a bedroom and access to bathroom and kitchen) and while he will never mention it, it matters to him that the house not have stuff laying around (recycling to be removed, etc). I still have 4 reams of paper to shred 🙁 | It’s the day right before the best discounts of the year on chocolate. | ||
| C | Both my DH and I keep things far too long for "Justin" and because at times that has worked out well, and it gave us much pleasure to see someone appreciate the items, we think it can happen again. It has probably only happend 5 times in our 45 years together. | The paintings that were in the childhood homes of my mother and father which travelled first with them and then with us from place to place as we moved around the world, and now are in my home. | I see the problems my DH has with his clutter, his sense of overwhelm with his paper chaos, but when I offer to help, he says he cannot be helped, there are more important things to do with the time left to us. So, it is bad enough that I have my own unfinished projects to deal with I have to also deal with his chaos. | Other | It used to be the first choice, but now it is a regular day...but we still give each other chocolates. |
| Lela | When dating my future husband, his apartment appalled me -- newspapers, fast food paraphernalia, & dirty clothes were scattered everywhere like a bomb had exploded. The sight did not encourage my aspirations for marriage. | For the majority of my life I kept a small stick because I had watched my grandfather whittle a point on both ends of it with his pocket knife while we were enjoying the afternoon sitting on his front porch. I had such fond memories of playing, catching crawdads in the creek, & working in the strawberry patch at his house! | I do 90% of the maintenance and repairs at our house; so the less material possessions we own, the less work I have to do. I have been dedicated to decluttering for many years & can't believe how much stuff we used to cram into our house & how much faster & easier it is now to clean and maintain our home. | It’s a special day for my spouse or partner to pamper and spoil me. | |
| Anonymous user | Our grown child (plus spouse and children) had a sudden and very stressful move that triggered a lot of emotional upheaval in their home. The grandchildren are now stressed and needy and prone to outbursts. They don't want to part with anything, have a hard time making decisions, and one child still wets the bed.fairly regularly although they are nearly teenagers. We are too far away to be of any consistent help . There are now mental health issues arising and we feel helpless. | I made Christmas ornaments from cards that our children gave or made us when they were little - first time they signed a card on their own, first card they bought with their own money, a cute verse they made up, etc. Every Christmas, it's like opening up their "childhood" and hanging it on the tree. | Lack of clutter lets our home breathe easier and leaves room for new experiences and peacefulness. | Other | It's a day for spouse and I to verbalize how we appreciate what the other does to make our life full. We don't do gifts, etc. |
| Anonymous user | My partner was unwilling to let go of ex's stuff. Eventually resumed emotional affair with her. | I have a quilt I made on a break during college with my late mother. | As each item leaves, there is considerably more ease interacting with remaining possessions. | It’s the day right before the best discounts of the year on chocolate. | |
| Jane | A lot of things donated over the years have been gifts. Some family and friends have gift giving as their love language. As much as I appreciate these people, I wish they wouldn't add to my clutter. | When going through my mother's clothing after she passed, I kept one scarf. She looked stunning wearing it with suit that flattered her. Every time I see the scarf, I remember my mom at her best. | Reducing clutter reduces stress as there's less inventory to manage. | It’s a magical day for me to acknowledge the love I feel for my special someone. | |
| Name (click to view full survey response and comments) | Describe an experience in which clutter had a negative impact on a relationship. | Describe an item that evokes a strong association or memories of a person you love. | How might reducing your clutter or making your home more organized affect your most important relationships or affect your health, happiness, wellbeing, attitude, or mood? | Choose the option that best describes your feelings about Valentine’s Day: | If you answered “Other,,” please elaborate. |
Love Me, Love My Clutter: Organizing Styles and Relationships
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