The Clutter Fairy Weekly Survey #267 Results
Effects of Aging on Clutter and Organizing
Below are the results of our survey released in preparation for episode #267 of The Clutter Fairy Weekly. If you haven’t already done so, please take the survey.
Note: Hover over any pie slice in the chart to see the text of the answer and the number of respondents who selected that answer. (Mobile users: Click on the slices for details.)
Responses
To view the complete, detailed survey response from any respondent, click on their name (or “Anonymous user”) 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 ways in which aging has negatively affected your ability, willingness, or desire to declutter or organize your home. | Describe ways in which getting older has positively affected your ability, willingness, or desire to declutter or organize your home. | Describe ways in which you’d like for your space and belongings to better support your goals and dreams for the next years of your life. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Iris | Getting older (more mature) made me break free from the way I was brought up in regards how I feel about stuff. Also, seeing friends and in particular parents getting older and realising that one day we will have to go through their houses after they’ve gone (the friends have assigned the task to us). Feeling the weight of is already. I am almost 40 and want to have an easy to maintain house especially in regards to stuff and if something dreadful would happen I want it to make it easier for those going through my/our stuff. | I’ve learned to recognise how freeing it feels when you don’t have excess stuff and an easy to clean house. I also learned to recognise where certain stuff patterns came from and realised they don’t belong to me. | More time for family. Having more room to make certain play area’s for our younger kids. |
| Joanna | I was diagnosed with asthma in my mid-sixties (I'm 71 now) and cleaning and clearing out has become so much harder than it used to be mainly because I can't work for hours at a time like I used to. Also, I come from a group of creatively gifted women so have inherited quite a lot of hand-painted china and many beautiful handmade things. It's hard to let go of things I know my female relatives spent so many hours making. | At my age (71) there is a sense of a "ticking clock." I don't want to spend my happy golden years organizing mountains of fabric from the 70s, or my books and art supplies (the 2 categories I spent years collecting.) I feel a sense of urgency to declutter before my health deteriorates more. | The good news for me is I've already downsized into a smaller home where I live alone. I don't have to contend with other people's stuff. I've always been a "maximalist" and don't really get minimalism which is what's on display in most home decor magazines. Because I live in a small house, I'd like to pare down my possessions so it will feel more spacious. Unfortunately, that's not what I'm good at! |
| Rose | I have lower amounts of energy than before and I take pauses more frequently due to lower back pain. | I have a better realization that if I question having, using, or liking certain items then I realize I won't use or like the item in the future. For example, I listen to and watch audiobooks, podcasts, YouTube videos on a daily basis, so I will not in a future date need the physical book or video. | I would like to find an item I need when I need it instead of being frustrated that I can't find it. |
| Cecie | I’m 72 and over the past few years have become increasingly more and more mobility and energy challenged due to multiple health issues and chronic pain. As I look around my apartment, I’m overwhelmed to the point of panic at the clutter, mostly from items set aside to be sold, piles of papers, and craft items “out the wahzoo.” Because I can’t do much each day to decrease the load, it weighs on my mind more and more. My income, as a retired person who is unable to work even part-time due to my health and pain limitations, is merely a small monthly pension and Social Security, which means I can’t afford to hire help to declutter and organize. I never thought this would be my reality as I aged! | Getting older, with all its physical limitations, has made me much more willing to let things go, so that I have much less to manage and to clutter my already-cluttered mind. Simplifying my environment is so much more appealing than when I was younger and ironically, more physically able to do it! | For one thing, I’d like my craft supplies to be more manageable, so that they would be easier to access and to use. My goal is for crafting for others to be a daily occurrence, especially since it’s the only way I can be of service these days. I also hope to move to another state in a couple of years to be near my young grandchildren, and I know I will probably only be able to afford a much smaller apartment than I already have. |
| Therapy Cat | Everything takes time, energy and effort, including aging. Aging has made me slower, more tired and sometimes physically unable to address the clutter consistently. When I was on track with reducing clutter, I was a few years younger with energy and plans for my spaces. Well, one wrong move of improperly bending or years of improper posture will land a person in bed for weeks and then a few years of occasional physical therapy. When a person is in physical pain or discomfort, it’s sometimes challenging to even think about reducing clutter. | Aging for me has put my sentimental emotions in perspective as to which things I would still be happy to have around and which I can part with because I am certain it’s of no joy or of importance to anyone in my household. Aging has been an opportunity to reassess what I have, need and want. I have lots of nice things/ things with potential that need some work or creativity. I need time and energy and sometimes desire to address it but none of that is guaranteed, right? I want to live comfortably, happily in a tripping hazard-free home that’s manageable with the finite energy and mental focus that my body has allowed me…..these survey questions are helping frame out plans and this therapy cat won’t leave my lap until it’s satisfied with its nap… | Aging has required I make time for physical therapy almost daily, so that I can carry on with my day. Because I am a visual person and my home doesn’t have a lot of storage space, I need a dedicated space to display and use my physical therapy equipment and framed therapy exercises on the wall. This means I need to reduce my miscellaneous fabric stash and keep the fabric I have definite patterns and plans to use. |
| Tennessee Theresa | Orthopedic health and low vision slows down the ability to work o scrapbooking, labeling pictures and reducing collection to best representation of our family's history. Presently, I am going through my grandparents' and parents' photos that have NEVER been culled! My father and I have started going through some of them together. There are many pictures of family, friends and work colleagues neither one of us recognize. Although it has been fun at times, the volume is great. One day of tackling the pictures made my father declare that "in the 70s and 89s, we did not know how to take pictures!" I want to get 3 generations of pictures down to the smallest rep sample for my children, but I am limited on ability to working on it for big periods of time. | 1. Now that I am in my 50s, I am able to look at things from my childhood and say,"I've kept it for 40 plus years and now it is time to release it." 2. My children most likely do not want most of the stuff I have kept. 3. I am positively impacting the state of my home and my children by making the decision to let things go. 4.Jjust because a loved one has given me something, it does not mean I have to keep it. | Just because I have the space for it, does not mean I should keep it. |
| Anonymous user | With age you determine what is most important and of value. Really an exercise of quality and not quantity. | Not impacted as much about what others do and have. | Own just what I need and nothing more is the goal |
| Julie | Photos and electronic clutter often trigger sadness, so I procrastinate dealing with it. | I no longer feel guilty throwing things away if they are worn out or useless to others. I no longer try to give things away to the right place or people. | I've started to get rid of aspirational clutter, like crafts I used to do, outdoor gear I won't use again. I want my space to represent the things I enjoy now, not "maybe someday". e.g. "I'll read that book someday" |
| Kerry | I have way less energy for decluttering and cleaning and there always seem to be more to do. Spending long hours doing 1 big job is a lot, so I try a little at a time. When I am ready to let something go my family sometimes want to keep it. | I know that my stuff does not mean much to others. My son said he'll just throw most of my stuff away and this was eye opening. Even though my son was laughing and being funny I knew there was some truth in his comment. | I would like less stuff to worry about and look after in my later years. I want to spend my time doing fun enjoyable things and not have to deal with stuff in the future. And I think I will have less energy for decluttering in the future, so now is the time. |
| Anita O | Willingness - I've made lots of progress, but I still resist scheduling consistent time toward clutter projects because I want to prioritize being with family, volunteer service, and other aspects of life that bring me joy. I either make time if I'm "inspired" to work on an area to ease its use/appearance, or short-term if I guilt myself into getting busy on collections I don't want to leave to my heirs to sort out. | Using the decluttering 'muscle' repeatedly / sporadically over the past 4 years has made it easier to make decisions. I've also found that as I get older and have talked with my children about this, it's become easier to let go of items that used to be more sentimental to me. | Tidiness and the related ease of maintenance are increasingly important to me. |
| Elsie | I have limited energy now and am getting behind in regular maintenance so have even less energy to declutter. I begin to panic as I see the piles adding up. | I am realizing that no one will be interested in most of my stuff. I have a few family heirlooms that I have semi-promised to certain ones. I just have a hard time letting go unless I know who will receive it. | I am trying to clear pathways to avoid falls. Need a shower on the ground floor but dread the hassle of carpenter's and all the disruption. Mentally I am preparing. |
| Linda | I have less energy, and am acquiring items from friends and family members who have recently passed away. | I appreciate a greater sense of space, and enjoy giving things away now instead of waiting for my death. | I plan to move to a smaller house or independent living. |
| Ria | Although I did a massive declutter over several years (furniture, clothing, momentos, inherited treasures, artwork, books, linens, kitchen and serving ware, bathroom products), I recognize that I still need a calmer home with less to care for. At 70, I don’t have the bandwith anymore to make the tougher calls so procrastinate on it. | I admitted when I was 60 that I drastically needed to declutter my home. I had seen friends’/neighbors’ lives change in an instant due to a debilitating health diagnosis and knew that no one ever has MORE energy and stamina as they age, so better to do it slowly while I still worked. Feeling the difference in my home and attitude makes it easier for me to part with things now. I am in that phase of life where large parties, number of times I will yet redecorate and less interest in maintaining a home are here and I am ready to embrace/admit that. I am single, so there’s no one who wants my treasures, though I have successfully offered some things to friends. | I want a home easy to “put right” and physically clean myself as long as I can manage. I also would like to downsize from. 2 bedroom single family home with basement and garage … and overambitious 45-year old’s garden — to something smaller. Further decluttering will help with that when the move happens eventually.. This will allow me to care for myself, hopefully, as long as possible and give me time to pursue other interests and travel. |
| Anonymous user | Finally retire and want to have fun and feel emotionally burdened with the extra stuff. With more losses I cling to items that were from special people who have passed or who are older. It seems more daunting to me as the years go by—more aches and pains. | More drive because of the realization that my future self won’t be able to handle all this. Want to be kind to my future self that when a move to a smaller place is needed it will be easier to do so if I do the work now. | We don’t have children so this is on us to handle now. It is very much gnawing at me. |
| Kathy | Less energy to declutter. I'm still working, and my extra energy tends to go toward daily home maintenance without a lot of extra energy of time to declutter. | I've been learning by experience that no one is interested in my stuff, so it is making it easier to toss what I can't use or that isn't accepted at the local thrift store. I've also seen older people struggling to let go of their possessions beyond their ability to care for them. It makes it a burden for the family. I want to have less and make it easier for me to move/downsize and not leave a burden for others. I also don't want to be so emotionally attached to things that it makes it that much harder if I have to ultimately move to some kind of assisted living/nursing home. | I already find yard maintenance "too much." I don't enjoy it and spending about 3 hours on a weekend if it's not too hot or raining is about all I can force myself to do. 😉 Once I retire, I don't want to spend all my time doing yard work. I also want the ability to move/downsize whenever that's desired or necessary. Having less would make that move so much easier. A friend who never owned a home is moving across country, and she still struggles with decluttering her apartment and what to let go and what to keep. How much harder that would be for me with a whole house! |
| Lise | Continual exhaustion (physically & mentally) - it is hard to be in the mood to get things done. | I realize I need less. | Decreasing items for ease of maintaining. |
| Lisa Beth | I have less tolerance of things left behind after each week. I label the dining room table as "Hot Lava" at the risk of being decluttered if left behind. | I love my home more and more as I declutter and reset areas as I use up, gift and donate more from each room, out building and landscaping area. | We are making areas more ADA friendly with each improvement. |
| Sandra | The passage of time greatly helps: things that have sat unused for 10 or even 20 years can go. When I was younger that was always a "what if?" in the back of my mind that made it easier to keep everything. | We can learn from mistakes made by the previous generation! I have an agreement with a friend that, if I ever say no to someone who tells me the rugs need to go, she can pull them from under my feet and throw everything away. Her mom and my MIL both tripped on rugs and yet never got rid of them. It's still a joke for now but you never know. | I want to avoid a house full of things that come with daily/weekly/monthly maintenance tasks. That to me is freedom, something that is not achievable when you have a busy family and work life. |
| Peggy | A couple of years ago I was regularly helping my adult daughter declutter her place. I am still interested in helping her and have offered but her time is limited by her need to work 3 jobs to support herself and her minor children. She has called me twice recently to tell me she has been decluttering and why! I am so happy, even though it wasn't because I was currently helping her. I continue to do tiny decluttering tasks in my home as I think of them... as in Swedish Death Cleaning 🙂 | I love the areas that are sparser in my home. I love knowing where certain categories of things are, so that I'm using them rather than rebuying them. | We are already in a smaller home, so no downsizing planned. But I want to be sure we aren't crowding ourselves with too much stuff. As we are not young, we try to prevent tripping hazards. |
| L | I look at a messy area and no longer think it's a challenge. I've decluttered for many years and know how much time and effort it takes to get a room to the point of me being comfortable in it. I have other things I would rather spend my time doing. | I realize that it's ok to do a little bit here and there, that I can spend a small amount of time, more often, decluttering. I no longer think that I need to put in long hours and complete the decluttering as soon as possible. And I've learned that "good enough" is better than "perfect." | I would like to be able to declutter down to the things I use or get enjoyment out of so that if I decide to move or need to move for health reasons, it won't be a bigger project than it needs to be. Sentimental things hang me up as well as shared items with my husband as that would take both of us deciding what to declutter. |
| Marilyn | I have lower tolerance but less energy. It is overwhelming and causes a great deal of stress! | I like white space, and I realize no one will want this stuff after I am gone! | I just want to look around at a neat, clean area that I can move around safely in. It makes me happy and calm. |
| Anonymous user | At 59, I was struck with an incurable condition which has forced me to depend much on others to help me, i.e. live like an old person. Most of the people who helped me are gone now, and I actually have become old. The reality that I will most likely never get to stroll through shops or jump in the car to go get something makes me want to keep what I have so that I can shop my own store. As a result, my home remains stuffed with plans, projects, and mementos. I really enjoy having supplies at my fingertips for maintenance, repair, or creative whims. I think I have grown more sentimental as I have aged. As friends and relatives die or drift away, I enjoy my mementos more and more, because they take me back to happier times and remind me that I have accomplished a lot. I use family heirlooms rather than store them, feeling connected to those relatives who once used and cared for them. These are how the "stuff" helps me maintain a relationship with loved ones who are no longer dwelling on earth. I would like to live in a less cluttered space, but the fact is, there are only 4 people who have visited me in the past eight years, so appearances don't matter very much. My decluttering and organizing goals, for now at least, are to prevent stubbed toes and broken bones, and to have the house clean and safe enough that no one will be tempted to call authorities, claiming that I am not competent enough to care for myself. | I have learned that I need to store items in smaller containers and to light spaces better because of dwindling strength and worsening eyesight. Had I been living the decluttered lifestyle when I was 59, my stashes would be more easily accessible now. My new health crisis put Earth Life in a new perspective, so I am able to identify junk and clutter more easily. | There is some question whether there will be more years of life for me, so I find myself wondering what people would think if they come in after I die and see how I lived. Then, I think, "I don't have to be threatened by others' judgements or opinions in order to have a beautiful, organized, serene place to live. I can make that space for myself, and maybe even get to live many more years in it!" My goal, then, is to create the space I want to live in. |
| Gabriella | Aging has had no negative effects on my decluttering activities. | To my surprise, I am able to let go of a lot of mainly sentimental items that in the past I thought I'd never part with. I value calm and simplicity more than owning so much stuff. | Now that I'm retired I want, among other things, to read about subjects that I'm really interested in curate my yarn stash so that it contains only the most high quality yarns for future projects. |
| Caron | I relate to the first and third examples above. Also find it frustrating to keep encountering the same dead ends of my decluttering efforts over and over. E.g. that box of random jewelry some of which is valuable enough that I feel like I should have it appraised and sell it, some I should regift, some I should craft with, some I should find just the right place to donate. So in the end the box is repeatedly put back in the "deal with it later cupboard". As I get older the realization that later is quickly shrinking into now is scary and sad. Both feelings I want to avoid. I've spent the last 30 plus years in my home slowly accumulating things at a slightly faster pace then I have been getting rid of things. It's really hard to reverse engines and do the opposite. And especially hard to let go of things I never got around to using, like art and craft supplies, or clothes I love but haven't had the right occasion to wear. | Again I relate to the examples above. One thing that has made it easier to let go of older things I have revisited many times is that now some of them have finally "died", e.g. the paint tube dried up, the moths got that yarn, the vase fell and broke, etc. This is one of those things you talk about often on your show, that we will send things off to the garage to die. Like you say it's better to send it off now before it looses any more of it's usefulness. I am also more aware now that I need and want more time to just be, which only asks for a comfortable pleasant space to be, either inside or out. I have a lifetime accumulation of things that revolve around human doing rather than human being. | I really want to improve some of the under or poorly utilized space in my home. It is only 750 sq. ft. and now my partner and I both work from home. Retirement timeline is unclear right now so for the immediate future, this tiny house has many functions! There is a full basement so if we finished it nicely we would add a significant amount of space. We are at a point now where we could afford to do a project like this but before we can move forward there is a lot of stuff to clear out. I find that starting the planning process for the remodel is a real motivator for decluttering. The more I keep my mind on the vision of how I'd like the basement to be, the lass interested I am in holding on to the clutter in that space. |
| Anonymous user | I'm having to deal with other things so even though the place is a mess, I don't want to deal with it. | I realized that the items are still not being used so they don't need to be in the house. | It's harder for us, especially my sister, to get around so we don't need extra stuff to be in the way. |
| Anonymous user | I don't have the energy to deal with it anymore so I make sure I don't bring in any new items unless replacing something that is going out. I deal with paper daily so that there isn't much clutter unless it is a project in process. | We have only one child and I had her go through things and take what she wanted and got rid of the rest that was excess stuff. It was hard to get rid of an antique bed that belonged to my grandmother at the time. | We downsized from a 3br 21/2 bath to a shared house where we have 1 br 1 bath and living room to ourselves with shared kitchen on the ground floor. We have an upstairs laundry room that requires going upstairs. |
| Evelin | The older I get the more things I own. | I've recognized that nothing is forever and even things that I thought I would keep forever don't mean as much to me anymore. | I don't have to downsize immediately but I want to be ready at anytime it might get necessary |
| Marsha | I have accumulated too much stuff | I’ve listened to you over & over & over | I’m just continually Decluttering |
| Jacqueline | As I have gotten older, I have gained confidence and a deeper understanding of myself. I know my likes and interests and can be realistic about keeping or discarding items for “someday projects”. Not sure if this has anything to do with age, as I am in my early 40s, but I have been actively decluttering for about 2 years. I have noticed that the more I get rid of, the simpler my life is. Also, the less stuff I have, my threshold for clutter is becoming lower. I more quickly notice and am bothered when there is something that isn’t being used and that I don’t need. | ||
| Doctor Kenna | Aging makes it easier to realize what is truly valuable and as Helen Keller shared it may not be held in the hand it must be felt with the heart. | See previous answer | Downsize doubles to clean and maintain and more freedom to travel |
| Lori | I am all set and have a year to go from a beautiful rental home ( I am a cozy minimalist) to the possibility of a shed or THOW). I want to travel a bit - in the summer to go to the beaches on the west and east coast. | I just don’t want things anymore as I am not very attached and have been working on that aspect for 10 years through meditation. | Downsize to a community of tiny homes - the plan in one year when my lease to my house is up. |
| Mary | How about all of the above? Actually, many things I am thinking of letting go, because they don't help me and my kids don't want any of the things from the past. But, still, it meant something to my mom or dad... sigh. | I am recognizing that most of our stored items are not being used, so truly they can go. Now, just how to get started?! | Husband and I think we might not downsize. Some kids may move home again. (One has been here for 5 yrs, insisting she will be moving out, after health issues are settled.) I am not a collector but the 2 I live with are. It's very hard for me to make a decision for them, so nothing is moving forward in the decluttering area. I can tidy up my areas, and some shared areas, but not theirs. |
| Darlene | It has been sad for me to realize that none of my four children want much of anything I have. Most of my possessions aren't "junk", but are decent quality items that I had to save up for, sometimes for years, to obtain. | I have a vision for what I want this chapter of my life to look like. I want my children and grandkids to visit and stay at a clean, fresh house. I don't want any old clutter, old stuffy sheets, towels, washcloths, blankets, etc. I want everything to be clean and fresh. I keep decor at a low level so they can come in with their laptops and earbuds and tablets and phones and spread out and charge their things. I have open space in my living room so that the grandkids can build with Duplos or Magnatiles or play games or make a blanket fort. Thanks for all your advice on decluttering for this chapter of the life I want to live. It worked! | Basically, I decided I don't want to downsize. I like space and I like the home that my husband and I have created after more than 4 decades of home improvements and DIY's! Steady decluttering and simplifying has served me well. It takes about 4 hours per week for me to clean my house and I am always looking for tricks and tips to further simplify. I love working in my yard, but everything I do now is with consideration of how to reduce future maintenance. |
| Margaret | My husband keeps misplacing things (like his phone 5-6 times a day) because he puts the item down wherever he is at the moment, then can't remember where and when looking for it cannot distinguish it from background clutter. Allover body pain makes decluttering a slow process thatbrequires a lotof nmntal cajoling to keep me going. The amount of clutter can seem overwhelming - will I have to spend the rest of my life dealing with it? | An interesting idea has really sunk in lately - objects have their own life purpose and keeping them unused in a closet thwarts their mission of service. Knowing that others are enjoying my give-aways is very motivating. I have been "freecycling" lately and where I sit at my desk I can see the people who come up on the porch to pick up items but they can't see me. One dour-faced woman got her items (toys left behind by my visiting grandson) and then, while walking back to the her car, she brandished the 3-ft plastic sword with its flashing lights and buzzing sound. Aha-ha! Had a text conversation about grandmothers and Hummel figurines with another recipient. | We are currently in rental housing due to extensive house repairs from a Derecho-downed tree so all the stagnant energy of hoarded and unused items has been totally broken up. We are determined to only move the items we really want and can use back into our renewed living space. Our adult children have been helping to pare down our possessions and, I think, have realized that helping now rather than later is in their own best interests. One son started a scrapbook of what he wanted to keep from childhood and set aside items he thought I might still want, which is definitely less than I would have saved for myself - what a relief to have someone else make the decisions (and move the boxes). |
| Wanda | Sentimentality | No one wants my stuff | I'm downsizing stuff not the house. House is already a. Modest size of 1600 sq ft. |
| Jean | As I realize I’m tired…I also feel tired of the things I’ve kept too long. Tired of the past? Ready to part with most of it, did I ever really like it that much? | Yes exactly the SAME stuff!! When I start a box or pile I first plug in the shredder. | As I kneeled for too long and my knees complained … I do not want to use the bottom shelves! (Or the top ones!) |
| Ginger | I have the vision, desire & willingness to declutter & organize. My energy is not as consistent and my movement is not as fluid. Projects take longer to complete - mostly because i procrastinate instead of just taking it on and doing what I can and being okay with it taking longer. | I’ve learned to appreciate having enough. Not too much. Just enough. My goal is to have just what we need. There’ll be less to maintain as we age in place. ▪️Wardrobe items, books, papers, home goods like towels, bedding, dishes, utensils, personal care items, cleaning supplies & equipment, office supplies, decor, furniture and even food! Set limits. ▪️Getting clear about hobbies and supplies and making efforts to use it up! ▪️We’re making some changes to flooring and furniture for lower maintenance options. | I’m ready to spend less time decluttering & cleaning and MORE TIME DOING EVERYTHING ELSE. I have so many ideas of things to do or get back to doing. ▪️I’ve let decluttering and cleaning consume so much of my time. Not necessarily actually DOING it - but more OF THE reading and watching information about it. ▪️I enjoy the topic because it’s been helpful in helping me arrive at my current goals. I can see the whole project moving toward the last bigger projects to finish up. I’m anxious to get it done. |
| Beagle Mom | I have less energy to devote to decluttering but I am glad I started already. I do less in time allotted, but I think less is way better than nothing. | I am determined not to have unsorted clutter in my house for someone else to have to deal with; I told my children that they will know that I did go through stuff at 65, so anything I kept had value to me, but they don't have to keep anything they don't have an attachment to or a need for in their lives. Also, I gave them things promised to them if they wanted it. As the years go by, it's easier to release more items. I like seeing space in my home! (I wish my spouse would do the same!) | I want to give things I am no longer going to use away now, so others can make use ofthem. No point in storing them another 5 years or just leaving them in the cupboard (think waffle maker). I want open space to fit my life and hobbies I still pursue. |
| Anonymous user | Lifting and moving things away or back to their place is getting much harder to do, | Things that I recognize that I will never use again are taking up space I must regain. | Heavy boxes, overhead storage, and general junk accumulation are constantly in my way of moving around. |
| Saskatchewan Jane | I've learned it is all "just stuff." If it is not being cared for propertly in a respectful thoughtful manner it should be "let go" so another may enjoy said purpose of item. What matters is living a good life, enjoying friends, family, relationships, learning, experiences etc. NOT Stuff, | When I retire, I'd like to turn one of the bedrooms into a sewing room or a home library/reading room. | |
| Linda | I don’t have the capacity to manage as much stuff as I used to, and this comes at a point in life when I’ve had decades to accumulate stuff, including items passed down to me from my parents. It has also come at a time when I’ve been spending a lot of time on caregiving for the folks who were eager to pass things on to me. To use Dana K. White’s terminology, my “clutter threshold” is lower than it used to be, and shrinking. | I’m much less interested in stuff than I used to be and see much of it as burdensome and not part of my life going forward. This makes it easier for me to let go, although doing the actual work of that is harder as the years go by because there is a lot of physical labor involved. Watching the generation before me NOT deal with their stuff in a timely manner has been a positive reality check for me. | I just completed the downsizing move from a house to a senior apartment, and I’m so glad to have that transition completed. Now the focus is on maintenance, using one in, one out as a guideline. I hope the smaller space will be a constant reminder to acquire things at a minimal level. |
| Noreen | I find it hard to get rid of family items as I am an only child and feel somewhat guilty. | I’m learning to accept that no one will be interested in my stuff when I’m gone. I'm an only child and realize most of my "stuff" will not be interesting to others. | I want things more accessible. Don't want to have to pull down the attic ladder anymore, so I am cleaning out old decorations and family items no longer needed. |
| Kate | It is hard to part with things that were once a very important part of your life or of people you have loved and have died and their belongings but life has to move forward. | Time seems to speed up as I get older and with less time ahead time has to be spent enjoying time with people and doing things rather than being surrounded with items that attract dust and therefore time spent cleaning items not being used. | Cull down books, ornaments to ones that have meaning. Streamline to make housework easier and to be able to see things on display subject to room space not in cupboards unseen. |
| Tish | Decluttering is more emotionally and physically tiring. I also find it hard to let go of hobbies that require perfect vision. | I have less need for trinkets. I also know what items are good to invest in. | I'd like to change my kitchen to make it easier to prepare simpler meals, bathroom to make it less likely for accidents and easier to access storage solutions. |
| Mary | Realizing who am I kidding? At 72 I need to get this done sooner than later. Age is a factor with unforeseen setbacks with less agility and stamina I use to have. I’m sentimental too and hard to let it all go. I can’t leave this for my grown children. I’ve had to clean our 2 elders homes and one was a hoarder. I believe it was 150 trips over an hour away took 6 months. I still had my youngest home at the time. Who had to come on weekends to help his mom and dad with this task. He’s now an adult and way more minimal and less sentimental than I ever was. I’m sure his experience at 12 was a real learning experience. Yet still hard for me but I have to buckle down and get this done. | A bit of all three examples, decision fatigue, no one will want most of this stuff. My children have their own stuff and their own homes. Yes, I like to see space now that is empty. | We have a ranch house so that is good for aging but a basement with the same square footage. That’s what I want much less of. We’ve managed to fill it up after 40 years. It’s a big space and much of it is used but still plenty of extras. Needs change over the years. |
| Amy | * As I have aged, it has become EASIER to want to let go of stuff -- even sentimental stuff, 'future me' stuff, and 'just in case we'll need it someday' stuff. Why? Because I know my days are numbered. There's only so much 'future me' will ever do with my limited time. Also, our many kids indicated only one or two items each that they would want at our passing. * As I have aged, I realize that I don't want our kids to have to deal with handling our multitudes of stuff! The time it would take them, the guilt they might feel at tossing alleged valuables cuz there'd be no time to market them, the decision-making processes they would have to go through -- that seems to me a very unloving thing to do to them. | * I LOVE having 'white space' in our home. I would REALLY love having an empty garage! | * I want the house ready to handle a hospital bed and proper care equipment if my husband reaches 'that point' in his cancer journey, such that he can remain home, and comfortably receive the support he'll need to be comfortable and at peace. |
| Victoria | Less energy + I don't like to just throw things away | I do not want to leave all my stuff for others to have to deal with. I think it will help in navigating my husband's dementia. I am ready for less stuff | I will likely downsize my space in the next 7-10 years |
| David | Lower torolarnce and a whole lot less energy | As I get much older and closer to the end of My time on earth the more I want to organize and declutter. Helped My sisters & brothers go through My Mom's [and still parts of My Dad's stuff] said to My self not to leave it for My kids to sift through. | Getting My collection of stuff down to a controlled amount. |
| Tonya | I am getting better at getting rid of normal clutter but a harder time with sentimental stuff. | I have more time now to deal with my clutter. | I would like my house to be clutter-free by my 60th birthday in November. It will be the first time in my life since I got married over 35 years ago. |
| Anonymous user | My energy is not what it used to be. I've been in a struggle with clutter since the 70s. All three of your examples are my answer. | All three of your examples fit me. My decluttering is in spurts. | We are being coaxed by our children to move to their neighborhood four and a half hours away. We have been fortunate to have been in this home for 44 years, that's a lot of stuff. We have started removing unnecessary stuff partly by deciding what would actually fit in a senior community space. |
| Jetta | My 60-year-old knees, legs, and feet affect my ability to declutter as long as I would like. | I started decluttering several years ago, now live much more minimally, and don't want to keep items that I don't use or love. My clutter threshold has gotten much lower and I enjoy space more than things. | |
| Lala | I have less energy and therefore less ambition to organize and sell the things I want to. Also there are days that I'm just not up to it for one reason or another. | I am starting to care less about the things I have so I guess that's good. | There are still a few things I'd like to do yet, but stuff is in my way. |
| Cynthia | With my asthma, etc. I have less energy per day. Like I have 15 spoons of energy instead of 26 and it takes me three spoons just to get dressed. It has always been hard to let go of things and it still is. It’s hard to keep up with a basic cleaning maintenance and harder than ever to get extra time for decluttering. | Now that my son is grown up, I know that most of my stuff he will not want. And since I am closer than ever to possibly moving to a Retirement ranch where I will have less room I’m feeling it’s more urgent to get rid of stuff and thin the herd. I have a realtor and I am asking myself. do you want to pay movers to move this and then have your new space overly stuffed? | I would like to find a perfect retirement ranch with a fenced backyard with easy access for my medium size dog. I would like the laundry to be on the same first floor level. I would like a separate bedroom or space to have my art studio and Office separate from the living room For a change. Plus, still have room for guests so my son can come and stay I would like it to feel spacious like a vacation cottage. |
| Maida | My decreased mobility due to arthritis and knee replacement recovery have cause me to need to simply what I have. Especially since I need help from others. Others need to be able logically find items. | I’m learning the declutter so I can to make the most of a periodic cleaning service. I’m learning that decluttering is form of self care so I take more time to do little tasks | I want to age in place in my house. But also want the space to be in good shape if I decide to downsize again or sell the property without needing months of decluttering. I want to keep it “move in ready” if changes are necessary. |
| Ruth | It’s hard to say goodbye to sentimental things. | Getting older helps me learn to live more in the present. I ask, “What do I need currently to lead my best life?” | I plan to downsize from a home to a one bedroom apartment in a senior community. I have started declutterring and am making good progress. |
| Anonymous user | Clutter weighs me down more and takes away my energy quicker. Ex. Items Passed Down from deceased Family members. | I do not want me daughter having to deal with my stuff the way I have had to deal with the stuff left behind by others. | I want to have time and space to participate in various needle arts past times. |
| Sandy | I physically can't do as much as I used to. Stairs are very difficult, and my stamina is low due to a weak heart. | I need a one floor home with everything on that floor that I use: washer/dryer, bedrooms, extra fridge with a small basement for long-term storage only. | |
| Agatha | *Stamina* to keep up with just maintaining. No stamina left to tackle the backlog. I have *Less time* due to helping family & friends with the fallout of their aging issues. Now with less $ coming in (& more going out), I don't have the funds to hire *help* like I once did. | It's easier to know what really matters. | ^ good examples...but I tend to overthink, so I really just NEED MY HOUSE ORGANIZED. Functional Everything in its right home Comfortable, beautiful, clean |
| Lynn | Physical limitations have started to impact my ability to keep up with large projects on my own. I have to do little bits between recovery time, hire unaffordable help, find ways to automate some of the work such as robot vacuum and drip irrigation in the garden. Things take a long timento complete if I try to do it myself, or have to wait for savings to accumulate to hire help or equipment to help me get it done. Many times I just give up on meeting my or someone else's standards and settle for not perfect, but will be better eventually, hopefully. | My physical limitations mean I cant afford to let my house get too far out of control. I have to consistently do the small daily tasks to keep it manageable. I have adopted the "put it away now or it will never get done" mode of operating. On my calendar app, I have assigned a day of the month to each area of the house and yard and try to focus there for any extra efforts on projects outside of my daily maintenance routines. This way, each area of my home gets inspected, and neatened once a month at minimum. Sometimes, days have to be skipped and an area doesn't get attention, and that's ok. It will get attention eventually. | I want to install more hardscape areas and groundcover plants in my yards so it doesn't require so much weeding from me or hired help. My raised vegetable garden beds need repair or replacement. My garden tool shed needs replacement after being blown apart in a recent storm. This house is paid for and I can't afford to move anywhere else. I have invested heavily in making it safe, comfortable and worry free for my remaining years. I am happy with it and hope I can still live here until my last breath. |
| Anja | I have an urgent wish to only live with stuff I like, love and/or use. I want to lighten the load and get more convenience implemented. Also it is hard to adjust to let go of things and activities I probably won't use or do again. How can I know for sure? What is realistic and what is not. Unfortunately my energy is very low due to a disability. | That is included in my answers to the previous question. | I will have to downsize and move as soon as I can find a new and appropriate home due to upcoming divorce and to having been retired. I wish to find a friendly community of like-minded neighbours and friends. I would like to have some guests often and maybe find a new partner. |
| Patricia | Lower tolerance for clutter, some person items I'll never part with after people pass. But I do want less around me, quality not quantity. I want to be more mobile to move to different state, and home. | All of the above, plus having empty space gives beautiful things room, space to be admired and seen. | None, not retired yet but want space for sewing hobby and space to do yoga at home, space to move around and feel an open airy living space, brings more lightness to decor. Freedom from hunting thru junk to find one thing. |
| Leana | I have a lower tolerance for clutter, but less energy to deal with it. Everything seems to take me longer than it used to. We are working on downsizing, anticipating a move to senior housing in the next few years. I am generally doing well getting rid of things, but am having trouble envisioning what my days will be like in the new setting: What hobbies (that I honestly haven't made time for in our present home but for which I have accumulated some books and supplies) will I actually do in the new setting? | I'm tired of taking care of stuff (or attempting to). It hasn't been too difficult to get rid of stuff, but have a major backlog of paper (with more coming in all the time). | Want to move to a senior living facility with the ability to eventually transition from independent to assisted living (if necessary). |
| Peggy In Maryland | In my 50s, I was very sturdy and unstoppable, physically. I could stand, organize, and pack for hours on end. Now, at 62, I am so surprised by how very stoppable, I am! My solution is sitting at the kitchen table, & using it as my processing surface for much shorter work sessions, usually 90 minutes at a time. It’s working, beautifully! | Gayle & Ed, your advice to keep the best representations from a category, or collection, has helped me so much. I am displaying, or framing, those very best items, and actually enjoying them! A huge victory for me. Thank you for your terrific advice and inspiration. | We have downsized to our retirement home, and now I am determined to go through all the dozens and dozens of photo albums, tubs, and boxes which are full of paper photos from three generations, including my own. |
| Dawn | Despite being in my upper sixties, I have a lot of energy. At times I feel overwhelmed, wondering if I'll ever make it to the end, though I do see a ray of hope. Added to the mild case of overwhelm, there's a questions of time management, but I just keep plugging away at it. The big problem isn't MY aging, but that of DH. Not only his aging, but his preferences for "simple." We went to a friend's recently and after getting home he told me, "I want our home to look like that." I thought, "Never gonna happen; that's not my style." The elderly woman (86 or 87) is pretty much a minimalist, having no pictures on the wall...only a couple of Kincaide wall hangings. She "decorates" with the flowers from her garden, so there are multiple mini vases of flowers. | I have a positive perspective: it's now or never (which is a scary thought). I've also been encouraged to make multiple swats of hours, which helps me to not only make progress, but lift my mood and have the attitude, "I WILL get there." Since I've been doing this for "awhile" and growing from Clutter Fairy episodes, I'm able to have a clearer mind for decision-making because I have a clearer understanding of all of the things going on as part of this process. Seeing positive results (e.g., organized shelves, drawers, living space; throwing out 13-gallon bags of paper at a time) increases my desire to live in a place FULLY functional and beautiful. I know that I'm not in my 20's, so there isn't a host of life transitions in my future, so my likes and dislikes are basically in place. | My major rabbit hole is my office. In addition to doing household/personal things on the computer, it's the place for all of my interests: counted cross-stitch, sewing, and writing. I want all of the extra to be gone so that I can spend more time on those activities because I know where everything is all of the extra is neither an emotional hindrance or a physical one. |
| Celina | even though i decided about 8 years ago to declutter (and I began to watch you guys around that time too 😀 I was in my mid 20s) I nowadays have more stuff than before. I had been renting rooms (& cohabiting) for 13 years, now moved into a tiny flat. I have mostly just the stuff I want to have (clothes, crafts, kitchen utensils) and I'm a lot more selective, ruthless with decluttering, etc. but the truth is I have a lot more things that when I started my "decluttering journey". It's just concerning... | i've learnt that even if I lose weight to fit the clothes, the fashion and my own style will be long gone and it's better to get rid of stuff now than wait forever for nothing. | well these days my doll collection is just for me (I no longer need to flip dolls for money like when iw as in college), so I'm more focused on working on my current collection rather than buying random, sellable dolls that eventually cause more clutter. |
| Lela | No negative effects …. in fact, I think I’ve gradually become a bit too obsessed with decluttering over the last 10 years. | I’ve become tired of repairing & maintaining things my entire adult life. Now as I age, I’m getting slower at everything I do, so it makes me happy to get rid of any “junk” I can! | I want less physical possessions so I can have less physical work. We basically live in a duplex because my MIL built onto our house over 20 years ago. Now that she has passed away, I hope we can move to a smaller place soon so I no longer have to maintain a double house & a large yard. My motto this year has been “LESS,” & I’ve been ruthlessly decluttering in preparation for our possible relocation. |
| Anonymous user | NEGATIVES: I have more possessions accrued over many years..... I get physically exhausted in dealing with big sorting events...sentimental attachements to things and events make some posessions have a sticky quality that makes it hard to let them go | I know enough to hire help and i'm really good at using that help I'm willing to let past lives, past dreams, past expectations go I'm living in a much smaller place so there's lots less to deal with daily I'm in a 'less is more' mentality without a shred of self pity. The things I choose to keep are the A list items. | My sitting room is 4 rooms in one. •It's where we entertain ª It's my office. My profession as a writer needs only my laptop and a comfortable chair, and some books which i can buy or borrow and then get rid of. •It's My music room -- with a Yamaha keyboard, my mac and my headphones •It's My gym with a bag full of bands and heart monitor and a small stand of weights and a matt rolled up in a corner Then in the kitchen... My art studio is no longer a room and a closet and bureau full of stuff. It's one small table in the kitchen with two 3-drawer plastic bins hidden underneath. Works just fine. My gym is |
| Barbara | I have less energy to work on clutter. And since I moved to a retirement community, there are always more attractive activities beckoning. I did the major downsizing but there are still some time-intensive projects that I manage to avoid. | I have some established routines for dealing with paperwork. That keeps the incoming paper to a trickle. I need fewer reference materials now that I don't do home maintenance or gardening. While I still have a four-drawer file cabinet, none of the drawers is full and I regularly discard older materials. (When I started 15 years ago, there were two four-drawer and one two-drawer and they were stuffed!) In keeping with my keeping only a lifetime supply of things, I'm re-reading some favorite books and releasing them. I'm nearly 80--I'm not going to read them again. I am hoping to eliminate one more bookcase. | I can't reach the top kitchen shelves or the higher shelves in my closet without using a stool. There will be a time when that is simply not safe. Those shelves need to be empty. |
| Anita | Definitely the final point, it’s hard to admit that there are things I’m unlikely to do again. Mainly tribal belly dancing and reading. I used to be able to read two books in a day. Now in honesty only 5 books a year. | Understanding that people probably won’t be interested in my stuff. | We’d like to clear space in the downstairs bedroom for easier access to our bathroom in the winter (we don’t have an upstairs one) |
| Lisa | I have no get up and go to clean out clutter. It's hard for me to gather it and to get it out to the car. | I have organized files of all my important papers such a will, advanced directives, etc. | Id like my rooms to function as they should. I have way to much stuff in each room. No where to sit down etc. |
| Barbara | I like watching episodes | ||
| Anonymous user | I feel like I want to save so many things I have inherited from those who are no longer living. I think I should keep several items to preserve their connections and memories for the future. However, it bothers me that after I am "gone" there will be no one living who will care about these items. They have no interest in keeping them, since they do not hold the meaning to them (like my son). So it a problem and a conundrum for me to face. I feel that their belongs were precious and I should preserve them, since they were. collected and saved and are attached to memories of them. | My getting older has made me value things that have permanence over things that are cheap and not worth keeping. An example: I attach more value and importance to good quality items like porcelain and ceramic serving pieces and dishes over the inexpensive items (like plastic containers that break easily). I have so many plastic items like Tupperware pieces that were expensive, but have not lasted well and broken over the years. I think it would have been better to purchase solid items like glass containers. But it has become difficult to dispose of all the Tupperware pieces since they have always been so useful. I tink about the expense and can't bear to throw them away, even when I do not have matching lids that are useable (not cracked or broken). I do find that I do not want to keep as many pieces of plastic dishes as I used to keep to reuse. I am somewhat more willing to discard them to thrift shops more than previously, when I would have saved them for reuse. | I am trying to "clear out" the large amount of items stored in my pantry and kitchen cabinets that are outdated and not needed. The shelves are packed with many things that we do not need (too many plastic containers, as one example). There too many food items that we purchased and are not using lately. Some are outdated and should be discarded. But I can't seem to have the discipline to throw them away, due to thinking of the waste. I would like to install more storage area (like shelving or drawers) in the master bathroom to be able to store items there that are now kept in the garage and are inconvenient there. My husband is talking about downsizing but can't imagine how we could get rid of all the excess "stuff" we have accumulated and do not use. Like in his workshop, which has tools and wood and metal lathes that he no longer uses. At this point, there are only problem areas, with no resonable solutions. |
| C | Ability: I simply cannot do as much, nor reach places or sometimes remember to do things on a regular basis as before. Willingness is there, to an extent, but unless I remind self it's for my own good, I can't motivate myself. Desire, well there are so many other fun things to do, as long as I can and have time for it...so why bother with unpleasant tasks... | ALL of the above. Plus its great when some of my things do get used and or appreciated by others. | First two apply. (But I've always had cleared paths) In addition don't want to leave messes behind when i die. Also i want to be able to find what i need right away, to know what I have etc. |
| JM | All of the above capture it!! I have a lower tolerance for clutter, but less energy to deal with it; I get more sentimentally attached to family heirlooms as time goes on; and it’s very hard for me to admit that there are things I’ll probably never do again. | I am learning to recognize decision fatigue, but it doesn't seem to help me get rid of stuff, It just makes me inclined to keep more. When I notice this happening, I know it's time to quit or move to a different room. I do find I need more clear space in order to think clearly, but sometimes that makes me feel more overwhelmed--what used to feel like a small mess now feels colossal. | I inherited 3 generations of "stuff' from multiple threads of the family tree. I spend an inordinate amount of time chipping away at it because I don't want to leave this for my kids to deal with. I'm now 2 years into retirement but haven't managed to cultivate any interests because this is sucking all the oxygen out of my brain! |
| Cee | I have a lower tolerance for clutter but have hard time deciding how to part with it. My time to address it is limited do to work and other activities | I want to declutter so I don't add that responsibility to my family. I have had to do for parents and a grandmother. As I age it has become top priority for me to downsize and simplify paperwork so my family will be able to locate and handle necessary things in future without stress | I plan to remain in my home as I approach retirement but to downsize everything to make life simpler and manageable |
| Sally | My body hurts somewhere almost constantly. Less energy. Sentimental ties are stronger as l have lost all of the family members of my younger years, and miss them terribly. Have many interests and have acquired too many things. Feel overwhelmed more easily. | Don’t want to burden my children with an enormous decluttering task as they wade through the probate process | Eventually will need to downsize, so paring down has to happen |
| Anonymous user | Physically it's hard for me to declutter without hurting myself. One time I worked three hours twisting my back working in a small place. The a year ago I retired and planned to hire help to start my big declutter journey. But I fell and broke my back and was in a lot of pain and could not declutter. I could barely move. So physically it became impossible to complete my mission. | A year after my injury I could sort and discard boxes of papers which I had a lot of. I could sit, sort and discard. But I had a long ways to go with other stuff. I also accepted I am not a donation center and don't need to worry about who the stuff goes to. I accept that I can either trash items or just give to the Goodwill. I don't need to worry about taking pictures and making posts to give away on facebook. | I think about moving out of state. Maybe it's just a dream. I need to keep my walkways clear in case medical personnel need to come in. |
| If not now, when? | “I have a lower tolerance for clutter, but less energy to deal with it.” Consequently, I want to spend more time now doing things I want to do. Also, I've just returned from the ER and hospital with heart problems. I have even less motivation to declutter. | If not now, when? That's my attitude now. I've put off doing things because I felt I should clean house first. You know, you've got to eat your lima beans before you get dessert. Well, if not now, when? | I keep a journal. That is, I kind of do and then life gets busy. But on every New Year's resolution I've entered lose weight, get fit, and give away the junk. I mean going back decades. Am I to the point that I'll allow myself the luxury to hire help? Old voices say I, personally, should be able to keep house and then have the freedom to do what I want. What if I've waited too long? What would be wrong with acknowledging that and helping another woman in a different stage of life feed her family, say, and hire her to help me? |
| Donna | I can’t physically tackle jobs that in the past I could take care of in an hour or so. Takes much longer now. | I feel good letting things go realizing I won’t be using things I kept. Like buggy boards for the beach, sand chairs; pots and pottery for specific types of cooking….that I never fix anymore; extra China, etc. | Having the freedom to just pack a bag and go on an adventure, rather than feel like I have to do housework or take care of things. The ability to have more spontaneity . |
| Yvonne | I definitely have a lower threshold for clutter and as a result I have a higher desire to declutter but as I age I have less stamina for the level of decluttering that I want to do. I also find that as I age I become less attached to things and I feel like I want less stuff to manage ( less stuff constantly calling for my attention to clean or maintain) . | As I get older I have realized that I do not want to burden my family with my possessions should something happen to me. | I will be retiring in 5-9 years ( depending on financial situation and where my kids are in their lives) and I plan on downsizing. I live in a 3 story 3000 square foot Victorian home. My husband and I will need less possessions for sure . Now is a great time to start getting rid of stuff before we get to a point where it becomes an overwhelming burden . |
| Anonymous user | I don't have the energy it takes to get it all done in a timely manner. | I don't want my family to have to deal with cleaning out a bunch of stuff nobody wants. | I want to be able to more easily and quickly clean my house. |
| Kit | I have a low clutter threshold but had not been getting rid of things. Over time, I got more and more overwhelmed. Especially regarding all the 'keepsakes', potential scrapbook items, other paperwork, holiday decor, and books. It is difficult for me to admit that I don't (and will never) care enough to finish many incomplete projects. I always want to mend things and pass them on, rather than throwing them in the trash. And I had boxes and boxes of sewing projects, but never took the time to do them. I felt guilty getting rid of family heirlooms as my in-laws decluttered them to our house. (On the other hand, I was thrilled to receive the inheritance from my mom *before* she passed – an oil painting she did of ocean waves and spray against a rocky shore. It has pride of place during Ocean Season, right now in fact!) | I no longer feel the need to keep things because of my children's potential futures that I now know will never come to pass. I've learned to ask my children's opinions and take their advice regarding keeping and using things – because they're my roommates and heirs. I've discovered how peaceful my mind is in a minimal environment. I've learned how much easier it is to function in the kitchen and bathroom with very few items on the shelves and in the drawers. | Since I expect to have far less energy and mental capacity in the future, I'm decluttering now to make that time as easy as possible. It's a gift of peace of mind to my future self. |
| The Maggs | Downsizing is the worst! All the years of accumulating now has to be dealt with. All the previous generations’ stuff now has to find a new home, and the next generations do t want much of it. Being retired now helps with the time, but not much else. | One of my new sayings is “I can’t take it to the nursing home so it needs to find a new home”. That has really helped along with taking pictures of what was once treasured items. | We just want through the downsizing process. Went from a 2400 sq ft house to a house of 1600 sq ft. That was very hard to do. |
| Sandra | I am overwhelmed by the amount is stuff I have accumulated and my energy level is very low. | I am ready to be more organized so I can make better use of my time and energy. | Since having to use a cane or walker, I am acutely aware that I need to clear out for mobility and safety. |
| Teresa J | I want it gone. I spent years collecting various things and using shopping as a fun/social activity and/or retail therapy. So even though I've made huge progress, there's still more to go. In a way, it's hard to see that there are things I'll never do again or do at all. But in another way, giving up the hobbies or potential hobbies is a relief. I can't do everything, but I can select one or two or three activities/hobbies that I really enjoy - and everything related to them can be available and organized. There's also an aspect of Swedish Death cleaning - I don't want to leave years of useless stuff (ex. paperwork, collections) for others to deal with (or for me to deal with if I need to downsize in the future). I definitely also hear the message that my energy and capabilities will decline as time goes on, so I want to do what I can now. I don't deny that there's a bit of a heart tug to give away some things I've collected over the years, or that it's disappointing to realize I'm never going to do certain things. But I've become ok with that. I try to consider that "to everything there is a season" and their season has faded for me. Hopefully they can start anew with someone else. | It has become easier to identify things that I'll likely never use. I've come to accept that things I've collected will be given away or generate minimal returns. I appreciate that getting rid of the surplus lets me have clear access every day to the things I've chosen to keep. I don't want to leave things for other folks to deal with after I'm gone, but I also would like to skinny things down to items I really treasure so I get to enjoy those things while I'm still around. I like the little bit of weight that's lifted from me every time some clutter departs my living space. | I'm kind of downsizing in place. Reducing what I have so I'm ready when I need to downsize my space. I like that having some lead time lets it be a thoughtful process instead of hurried decisions. And the clutter does seem like a big to do list that's always on my mind, a bit of a weight that's always there. So I want it gone. I want to reduce crafting hobbies and supplies so that I only have items that support what I'm doing now (ex. get rid of supplies I've outgrown or were purchasing errors etc). The extra supplies actually get in the way of my creativity (sometimes I literally can't see the supplies I want because of all the outdated ones). |
| Allison | I'm becoming more minimalist as I age. Being less sentimental than in my younger days makes it easier to pitch things. Plus, I am acutely aware that someone will be responsible for emptying my home after my death and it will be easier for them with fewer items to deal with. | I've already downsized from a large house to a two bedroom apartment. I'd like to reduce my amount of stuff further to fit into a one bedroom apartment. | |
| Patty | I have seen no change in desire to declutter. Actually I want to declutter more! | I would agree with all 3 of those statements. None of my 4 kids or 6 grandkids want anything! | I want no excess clutter to clean or manage. I want to know exactly what I own and where each thing is stored. I don’t want to waste precious brain power on unnecessary things. |
| Phyllis | As I age, I’m less inclined to have my home clutter free as I’m no longer focused on impressing others. Also, it’s very difficult to part with sentimental items. | As I age, I’m realizing that everyone wants to obtain their own stuff and not any of mine. | I want to clear the clutter so I don’t spend the rest of my life dealing with it. I want to have freedom and time to travel, volunteer, work on crafts, and enjoy more time with friends. |
| Kathy | Started collections that over grew.... now what do I do with them. A wonder family members hand me downs 2 closet full. Garage sale at the time thought bargains . New make your life easier space taking devices air fryer, George foreman, crock pots, Dutch oven, waffle maker, lefsa grills and supplies . You get the idea I can continue with several more | I'm now alone. Know a move will come in the future and don't want it to be family death cleaning. | I don't use these items: 2 totes of vinyl A huge wood desk Entertainment center Etc. |
| Barbara | All of the above | Knowing I have to declutter because of future downsizing. | Downsizing |
| Name (click to view full survey response and comments) | Describe ways in which aging has negatively affected your ability, willingness, or desire to declutter or organize your home. | Describe ways in which getting older has positively affected your ability, willingness, or desire to declutter or organize your home. | Describe ways in which you’d like for your space and belongings to better support your goals and dreams for the next years of your life. |
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