Survey #309—Full Response from Lori
| Pronouns | She/her |
|---|---|
| Describe an organizing project or task that you left incomplete because it wasn’t going the way you envisioned. What expectations had you set that you weren’t able to satisfy? | I moved to a smaller house last year and used one bedroom as a "temporary" storage unit. Every room has too much stuff, too much furniture and we still need to paint. We wanted to live in the house for awhile through the seasons before choosing paint colors... I also relocated my 89 yr old Mom from another state now to independent living and have her storage unit of stuff we moved from Ohio to North Carolina. I work full time and really thought I could pump myself up and get the house organized and put all this stuff away that has filled up the bedroom. I pulled too much stuff out and filled up areas only to pile more stuff back in the room because I can't stand it. I am overwhelmed. |
| How do your initial expectations regarding the time, energy, and emotional effort needed for a decluttering project usually compare to the reality of the actual process? | It is either hit or miss. If I have a clear vision of what I want my outcome to be then it becomes much easier. If not, I just waste a lot of time spinning my wheels. |
| What “real-world” factors tend to interfere with your decluttering and organizing tasks or projects and keep you from meeting the expectations you’ve set? | I get side tracked easily and end up leaving the house and running around with my husband only to come home to the mess. |
| 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. | How do I stop the madness? I am 58 years old, have been having some chronic health issues. I work full time with the public and come home drained. I moved my 89 yr old Mom from Ohio to North Carolina into an independent living apartment. I worry that she will run out of money and she wants to keep her storage unit full of stuff that either way I will have to deal with along with the "storage unit of my stuff in my new smaller house bedroom. Where do I start? Both my brothers died in 2024. My Mom's storage unit has memories of multiple generations and my Mom's 57 years of ceramics she loves and has painted. I also have moved eight times with my husband and his work since 2020. We do not plan on moving and he wants to retire. We have blended family of six kids and are now empty nester. I am open to your thoughts. Thank you! |
| Future topics | Clutter, memories, aging in place when you dont have anyone local to help, concerns over money, too much stuff, health and aging |
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