Survey #258—Full Response from Anita
| Pronouns | She/her |
|---|---|
| What useful decluttering or organizing strategies or methods did you take away from the book? | The container concept really helped me. It is quite a visual image and I like that you can keep things… but you keep your favourites first and then you realise that some of the things you have sent so important after all. |
| What parts or aspects of the book did you find difficult to grasp or challenging to apply to your home or situation? | I suppose ‘Where would you look for it first’ Some of my items don’t really have a home … so trying to put something where I’d look for it is challenging. Also as I have the ongoing house issues: rainwater, leaking pipe, and the possible mouse I can’t really put some things where I’d like to. |
| Please share your favorite quotations or key ideas and concepts from this book. | As I’ve read a couple of her books I’m sorry if I quote from the other book! My favourites ‘Do the dishes’ so simple but effective. It encourages regular putting things away. It is as she try’s to explain quicker than one thinks and if done regularly it takes just minutes. ‘Take it there now’ as I have a tendency to to do things later rather than than straight away. I think what we learn is to form habits of tidying which in turn gets us decluttering. ‘Start with the easy stuff’. I like her clear approach to things. Unlike Marie Kondo where you have to pull everything out , fold it special ways for clothes. The simplicity of Dana’s methods means it’s more achievable and she doesn’t say you have to get rid of stuff just accept your space. |
| White suggests a decluttering process that requires making a final decision about each item (keep, trash, or donate) and placing the item in its appropriate home right away rather than into a “keep pile” or “keep box” for later organizing. If you’ve used her method, how has the “take it there right now” approach worked for you? What are the pros and cons of her suggested strategy? | Although a struggle as I am a bit lazy ; It really encourages me not to just stuff shuffle which I can do if I put things in boxes. Having to move about keeps the momentum. |
| A big part of White’s decluttering philosophy is the “container concept”—the idea of setting firm limits on the containers you use to hold your stuff, where “containers” are understood to mean the boxes, bins, racks, baskets, drawers, cabinets, shelves, etc., that you use to hold stuff, as well as the rooms that must contain the containers—and then decluttering to fit those limits. If you’ve used her method, how has the “container concept” helped or hindered your decluttering? What are the pros and cons of her methodology? Are there areas or categories of stuff for which it works better than others? | Sometimes it’s difficult when you have a lot of favourites or a big collection but equally it challenges you to really think about your item’s importance. |
| White suggests following the “visibility rule”: Start every session of decluttering in the most visible places in your home. If you’ve used her method, how has the “visibility rule” helped or hindered your decluttering? What are the pros and cons of her suggested approach? | I really like this rule as the number of times I’ve cleaned and decluttered a cupboard and the only person who knows you’ve worked hard is yourself. It’s nice to get some appreciation from friends or family.(That’s why I hate cooking all that effort and people enjoy the food but then the satisfaction of this is short lived) Seeing a clean decluttered space is so satisfying. Down side is if where you take the item is full and there doesn’t seem to be to be anything to exchange it with. |
| 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. | Dana’s books and YouTube have been really helpful. As I am quite sentimental about everything ; and like her I can find use in nearly everything . Her not asking if things are useful is so good for me. |
| Future topics | You’re doing a great job. I love listening to your podcasts. I can’t think of anything just now but thanks anyway. |
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