Survey #243—Full Response from Barbara
| 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? | I would rarely buy clothes in a thrift store—maybe in a consignment store. But my daughter buys a lot of her and her daughter’s clothes at the affluent suburban Goodwill and St. Vinnies. Think it all depends on the store. And I rarely shop in thrift stores except for entertainment on vacations. Things I’d be likely to purchase: books and household items that are either replacements for something I have or selling for way under their value. For example, if I saw a cuisinart food processor the same size as mine, I’d buy it because the bowl on mine is wearing out. I’d keep the bowl and send the part with a motor to a scrapyard. And I do keep my eye out for paintings or prints that I like. |
| 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. | Not really. I have to clear off my desk regularly but that’s a discrete area. I accept that I’m probably going to pile and clear for the rest of my life. |
| 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 have a housekeeper who cleans monthly. I clean out the refrigerator every couple months but that’s mostly cleaning the shelves and organizing the condiments. I’m pretty good about using up food before it goes bad. I clean inside the cupboard probably yearly. I live alone—things don’t get that dirty. |
| 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. | You mentioned this on Jan 28 but I think it bears repeating. Slowing the inflow is critical. My problem area is my desk. Some of my successful efforts are: I don’t cut out recipes unless I will make them in the next week or so. I put donation requests in a folder if it’s something I think I’ll donate to. I decide quarterly. I deal with bills immediately and many are paid automatically by credit card or bank debit. I don’t clip articles for myself or others. It’s all online. Because there’s a lot less landing on my desk, important stuff doesn’t get lost. I still have a lot of delayed decisions and I’m working on that. |
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