Survey #243—Full Response from Gabriella
| Pronouns | She/her |
|---|---|
| If you shop in thrift stores, resale shops, charity stores, pawn shops, or other sources of second-hand goods, what kinds of things do you look for? Are there any categories of items that you would ONLY buy used? Any categories of items that you would NEVER buy used? | If I need something specific quickly, I just walk over to the large thrift store near my home and see if they have it. Often these items are of better quality than what I find in stores downtown. I sometimes look around at flea markets or the like just for fun - and try not to buy anything, unless it is something I really want. There are some clothing items that would be so expensive new that I resort to buying them second hand (like truly high-quality cashmere sweaters for instance). Things like shoes, underwear, etc., I buy new. In general I find it more fun hunt for interesting clothes in thrift stores and the like. I usually find the clothing in big department stores pretty boring. |
| If you’ve ever completed a major decluttering project, have you experienced re-cluttering anxiety afterwards? Please describe your experience and how you’ve tried to manage this feeling. | I'm still in the process of reducing my stuff as much as possible. Besides getting rid of things, I'm very careful not to bring a lot of new things into the house. Even though my inflow/outflow ratio has been about 1:10 during the past years, I keep feeling a little worried every time I acquire even a small number of new items (mild pangs of recluttering anxiety :o). Putting my things back in order regularly is no problem and I enjoy doing so. Re-accumulating a lot of things would make cleaning up more difficult. |
| How often do you deep-clean your kitchen, going above and beyond whatever daily or several-time-a-week routines you maintain? | At least once a month |
| What routines or habits have been useful to ensure that your kitchen is always clean? | I keep only the items that I actually use, which boils down to having only a reduced number of appliances and specialized gadgets. Every item has its designated place and it is easy to put them back. I'm working at learning to clean up while I'm cooking. |
| Here’s your chance to ask Gayle and Ed any question you’re curious about. It need not be related to this survey’s topic(s). If we think that your question—and our answer—might be useful or instructive to The Clutter Fairy Weekly audience, we’ll share them in an upcoming episode. | I have a close friend who, though he is extremely structured and meticulous, has acquired an enormous amount of stuff. All rooms in his apartment, even the bathroom, contain rows of neatly stacked moving boxes full of things. One of his rooms contains so much furniture that he can get from the door to the windows only through a narrow pathway. He is not messy, but he tenaciously hangs onto his stuff. I'm worried because he has some health issues and will probably need to move in 2025. I have offered to help him, promising to respect all his decisions. I feel pretty worried about the situation. Do you have any ideas how I can give him good support? |
| Future topics | intercultural diversity in cluttering - and decluttering - behavior. |
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