Survey #271—Full Response from Em
| Think about an item that you received as a gift and have struggled to part with. What factors—thoughts, feelings, memories, stories, beliefs, etc.—make (or made) it difficult for you to decide to let this item go? | Whoops! I don't struggle to part with anything. I simply keep what I like and regift or donate what I don't like. My problem is that I like too many things.(Therefore, I follow The Clutter Fairy.) One item I "should" part with is a blouse my older brother bought for me the year I went away to college, back in the days when clothing had to be ironed and college kids did laundry in a sink or bathtub when money was short.. He gave me two blouses. I wore out one, but I still have the one in the color that is not good on me. I remember him leaning over to Mother after I opened the package, telling her that he'd chosen these because they don't need ironing. (This new fabric was called Perma Press!) The blouse hangs in my laundry room today as wall decoration, prompting gratitude for the luxury of a washer and dryer, and reminding me of the thoughtfulness and sweetness of my brother, who, as a young college man knowing what his little sister was facing with college, had learned how troublesome and time-consuming ironing is. The gift expressed caring and respect he had never verbalized. |
|---|---|
| What’s your favorite clutter-conscious gift to give (for example: gift cards; event tickets; food, drinks, or other consumables; subscriptions; and so on), and why? What’s your favorite clutter-conscious gift to receive, and why? | For years, I made cute certificates on the computer, called "Mending Money." Each had an amount on it, which may have been something like,"Good for hemming of 6 pairs of trousers or the equivalent," or "Redeemable for repair of the jacket you spilled bleach on." I may have had a list of options, including hole repair, zipper replacement, and ripped seams. I could also have put a dollar amount, to then estimate the value of the job from the prices of local dry cleaners and tailors. People were thrilled to receive these. I don't think any went unredeemed. The downside of this gift was that family members would bring a pile of mending to holiday gatherings and expect me to do them on the spot, missing the party! I had to change my ways: "Some restrictions apply." I would love to receive job certificates similar to what I gave. I could use help with deep cleaning, assessing if certain pieces of clothing should be kept, rearranging the living room, polishing my furniture and floors or doing white laundry (because I am allergic to the waxes and bleach), repotting plants, decluttering, repairing household items, taking me for a hike or window shopping, picking up groceries for me each month, or even an invite for tea. Some of these jobs would help undo the logjam created by being unable to do the job alone; others would give me the gift of the presence of the giver--human contact: the most precious gift there is. |
| Future topics | Variety is the spice of life, but requires storage space. I love the pictures of organized kitchens and closets, but they seem designed for people who dress with the same look every day or use kitchens for nothing other than cooking. Without much thinking, I can list 10 different wardrobes I need, and at least 6 non-cooking activities for which I use the kitchen. Of course, both areas contain pieces that serve for more than one task, but many don't. Any suggestions? |
Be the first to comment!
Comment on this survey response
Please use the form below to share a comment on this survey response. We ask that you keep your comments courteous and respectful. Polite disagreement is fine, but abusive language won’t be tolerated. Your comment will be held briefly for moderation after submission.
"*" indicates required fields
