Survey #164 Response from Roberta
| Pronouns | She/her |
|---|---|
| What are your most compelling reasons to reduce clutter and/or to get organized? These may include your personal goals, work objectives, plans, fears, physical limitations, lifestyle choices, family history, etc. | My most compelling reason to declutter and organize is to leave my children without a lot of clutter to clear out when I pass. I can just see them looking and asking, "Why on earth did she keep that?" I will need to move at some point, and I don't want to move a bunch of unneeded clutter. My home will feel nicer and be easier to keep clean with less in it. I am embarrassed when people come over and see my clutter. |
| What external factors drive or support your organizing efforts? Think about positive or negative signals from outside yourself that influence your desire or inclination to declutter and organize. (Examples: pressure from your spouse, stuff inherited from elder family members, a need to work from home, etc.) | The need to keep surroundings safe for myself and others; the threat of wildfires is real where I live. Last year it destroyed several homes in our town, while all of us were evacuated. If there's less to burn it is easier to put the fires out. My home flooded when I was out of town about nineteen years ago from rain. Even with a large industrial wet vacuum, the water kept pouring in from early morning until some time past dark. I had many things stored in plastic totes which saved them, and the quick thinking of my adult children saved my furniture when they propped them up on case goods of canned food. I also have things to go through that were my late husband's and mother's; it's been a "peeling the onion" type of endeavor, being able to release items at different times. |
| What internal factors support your organizing efforts? Think about positive or negative thoughts or feelings that influence your desire or inclination to declutter and organize. (Examples: the urge to start a new hobby, feelings of guilt or shame, a desire to share your surplus with people who need it, etc.) | I like to be organized; life goes so smoothly when things are where you need them, have a place of their own, and you can find them quickly. When I was a child I was called lazy and later in life my housekeeping skills were criticized, even though I was trying to keep up with the clutter of two adults and five small children by myself. Even now, if someone comes to my house I get a shrinking, embarrassed feeling and feel the need to apologize for a messy house. It is very helpful to donate unused items to family or thrift shops supporting battered women, the Habitat Restore, animal shelters, etc. Also, the passing of my husband, father and mother were difficult and I don't want to make an already hard time any harder for my children. |
| What is the most exciting way in which your life will be different when you achieve your organizing goal(s)? | My mind will be at rest, not looking at excess. I will feel more free. It will be easy to manage the things I decide to keep. |
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