Survey #282—Full Response from Debra
| Pronouns | She/her |
|---|---|
| Describe a situation in which someone successfully assisted you with a decluttering or organizing project. What factors contributed to the success of the collaboration? | When I was moving internationally I had a friend come over to help me make decisions on what to keep in a storage unit (we were planning to move back after a year). She took each room from top to bottom, clockwise, and asked me about each individual item. Keep, donate, pack. It was a significant move with many factors to consider, lots of paperwork as well — so that calmed my anxious brain. |
| Describe a situation in which you asked for help with decluttering or organizing, but were unsatisfied with the results. What factors contributed to your dissatisfaction? | Other than the above, I haven’t asked for help. Occasionally , (but rarely)I have a friend come by to have tea with me to keep me company as I get things done, but their task is to chitchat to keep me from being bored as I do it. |
| Describe a situation in which you successfully assisted someone else with a decluttering or organizing project. What factors contributed to the success of your efforts? | I listen to them and find out what their goals are. Sometimes the things that are glaringly obvious to me don’t bother them at all. I do make suggestions about what might be the best things to start with. (Accessibility, putting things away that have a home already) Something that I have seen a lot of is just pure mess. What I mean by that is a jug of laundry detergent haphazardly toppled over on the floor that they just step over until they need it, for example. I often just line things up quickly by putting them together in categories and squaring piles in the first walkthrough of a place as we’re talking and I’m making mental notes of what’s where. Space is a serious issue in small European apartments, and even in bigger ones with no storage at all. I have to be creative about what goes where. The first visit I talk about a plan for the next visit. I also ask if they want me to make something “go away” if they’re waffling. Usually they say yes. |
| Describe a situation in which you offered help with decluttering or organizing, but you didn’t achieve the desired results. What factors contributed to coming up short of success? | She was a hoarder who couldn’t live in her one-room flat except for using the bathroom and a 2-seat sofa. Wouldn’t get rid of anything except for very obvious garbage and even then it took all of my patience. A tiny wrapped candy that is half melted? Has to be meticulously peeled away from its teeny-tiny wrapper, so each can be recycled separately. It was agonising. However, I did manage to clear a 2’ by 2’ space in two hours. As I left I spotted the corner of what was a piano. In a one room apartment I couldn’t see a full piano. Since I have never charged for my services, I felt it was a lot of my time spent with little results; she needs a hoarding specialist. |
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