Stop Juggling and Start Organizing: Setting Project Priorities - The Clutter Fairy Weekly #57

Containing the day-to-day accumulation of clutter while trying to reduce a backlog can feel like a juggling act. But like juggling, organizing isn’t magic-it’s a skillset you can learn. In episode #57 of The Clutter Fairy Weekly, Gayle Goddard, professional organizer and owner of The Clutter Fairy in Houston, Texas, discusses setting priorities, one of the key skills for an aspiring “organizing acrobat.”
Show notes: cfhou.com/tcfw057
The Clutter Fairy Weekly is a live webcast and podcast designed to help you clear your clutter and make space in your home and your life for more of what you love. We meet Tuesdays at noon (U.S. Central Time) to answer your decluttering questions and to share organizing tools and techniques, success stories and “ah-hah!” moments, seasonal suggestions, and timeless tips.
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[@CM-wh8hn]

Gayle, your best previous advice on "where to start first" is to CLEAR THE FLOOR! This has saved me from serious falls and accidents. I have a bad habit to have piles of stuff on the floor, but now that is the very first thing I clear. My mantra now is "safety first", when it comes to decluttering. Thank you so much, you have saved us from a dangerous slip and fall.

[@tamimartin9149]

Absolutely love the new name for homework. Also, I agree with Ed, I love Gayle’s laugh. You two have been a huge inspiration for me to get my house clutter free and I’m now working with my sis,who has dementia, at her house. She’s actually using her nice things and enjoying them. Thank you! 💜💜

[@Denitakis]

Greetings from ATX. I listen to your videos while I walk in the park trail for the entire duration of the video and come back home energized and inspired. Thank you, Gayle and Eddie, for all you do.

[@Takuta_Kina]

Wonderful and encouraging! A realistic and empathetic source for everyone struggling with managing moves and transitions. Please Giggle when you say Tittle! Your laughter is good medicine!

[@lindawade9647]

I have OCD, and your advice, Gail, is more helpful to me than what specialists have instructed me to do. It is also less threatening to me.

[@adelafaith9604]

So impressed with how you could see exactly what is going on in my house and gave such encouraging and clear ways to conquer what has up till now been very traumatic to do. Now I see it as doing a jigsaw - I love jigsaws! Thank you so much 🤗

[@diehardpbrfan]

Please continue making videos for us confused people.

[@amandawoods847]

@The Clutter Fairy dear Gayle have enjoyed your monthly programs for years, so very professional and helpful ideas for all. So thankful for your post today sharing the prioritising for a family estate, when the emotions swell over mental processes, many will sincerely appreciate your suggested process. Bless you and Ed as there are many in my position where adult child returned home, careful storage in cubes now upturned🤣 dumped in tiny spare room, realisation it's now on my workload, having awaited a year .. you have inspired more than me to easily face these creations 😁

[@A222Z]

I had my 4 bedrm ready to sell in a months time = I had friends & family volunteering to help.. had had several lg decluttering sessions prior to this decision.. made only the repairs suggested by realtor, which I hired out if difficult for me = well worth it.

[@A222Z]

Yes I agree about doing certain things every other day or 3 days = Life is a bit More Fun this way & realistic, while still Moving Forward. 😊

[@cloisterene]

I first establish my ultimate goals, broken down into lots of logical subcategories. Then decide what must be done first in order to make progress. I generally clean as I go as much as possible, but am open to revisiting specific areas for more thorough future cleaning and organizing. For complicated or complex areas I allow subsequent steps to reveal themselves to me gradually in order to avoid becoming overwhelmed and anxious about it. There will always be a few wild cards and modifications to be made, which I find adventurous. I try to get as much done daily as I can complete while ending at a 'good' stopping point. Then before retiring for the night I think a little bit about the direction I want to take it the next day. I have a very relaxed approach, never rushed, and really enjoy the process. Seeing steady, gradual improvements is all the motivation needed to keep going. Yes I would prefer it to be finished *yesterday,* but that just isn't humanly possible or practical for me personally in my situation. I've made radical changes in my lifestyle, now leaning a lot more toward the simple and minimalistic without going off the deep end of asceticism. I like moderation and always remind myself that any questionable thing I hesitate to eliminate right away can still go whenever the time is right. That way I feel very good about it without any regrets or second-guessing. This project has been a catalyst for redefining my priorities and values, hence nurturing my authentic self. I'd been planning it for years but just got really into it one month ago, and already I am very pleased with the progress I've made so far. I filled a dumpster full of my junk the first few days I got started. But the good news is it will never again accumulate so badly. My home will only continue to look and feel better with every passing day, because I know exactly how the clutter happened and how best to prevent it.

[@TheClutterFairy]

Sounds like you have a good process going! Keep us up to date on your progress and what you learns you go!

[@buddyneher9359]

That must be where the saying "every last jot and tittle" comes from! Love it :-)

[@intigniadickey2224]

I like the Weekly Tittle.

[@jessical.5391]

Thank you so much for this video!! Just what I needed today. Your videos are very helpful.

[@qormi1000]

Thank you Gayle and Ed. Great video and I took lots of notes. xx

[@bcase5328]

The worst thing about sorting an older love ones estate/house is you don't know where all items are. At a certain age and of a certain age, your love one might have hid items, dropped items, lost items within the property. All Gail said is right.

[@craigtalbot607]

CVS receipts!!!!! 😂😂🥺😂😂 I finally started tossing them as soon as I get home ... about 10 years too late. 🤭

[@CopingwithGrattitude]

They are 40ft long. What the heck!

[@terrieisanaudioslave]

Make sure you trash not recycle. The paper and ink or pressure paper will not recycle and all of your true recycling material will go to your trash facility. It’s too bad CVS and most others use that type of receipt.

[@grogers511]

Great tips as usual! Thank you. 👍🏻

[@BobbiDoll]

Love you Gayle. I declutter in fits & starts. I can always rely on you for inspiration.

[@kellymeyer1677]

One comment on the cleaning routine that keeps you from decluttering. Gayle, good answer. I do my own house cleaning and it doesn't take but a few minutes to dust at my house, because I don't have tons of knick knacks to move. I think for some people, the cleaning routine is a positive reinforcement as you know the results. The scary part is doing a declutter step. There are times doing the cleaning routine may just be easier than tackling the clutter. Yes, the dust can wait an extra day, or running the vacuum. 😀

[@A222Z]

I have items that usually need to go in another rm = I pile them by the door for when I'm heading to that rm, outside, etc. Also, I tell myself to deal with 5 things before leaving an area or upon entering (if needed).

[@mechkitten]

Alternative title: Decluttering with ADHD I'd love to see a collab with "How to ADHD". Regardless, this video has an incredible amount of views for just being posted.

[@laineygann7713]

"Tittlemouse" is one of the characters in Beatrix Potter's children's books. Love the choice: weekly tittle!

[@ruthtorphy2204]

Lainey, I thought this word was familiar. Brings back some happy memories.

[@AgathaVelvet]

That's just the cutest word. 💕💕

[@laineygann7713]

I was feeling a tad smug because I don't have piles of paper clutter any more--then you got to the slips of paper with notes that one jots down in a hurry and you got me! Guilty big time. I have a notebook to keep all those notes in one place, but I can't seem to remember to use it. Help.

[@TheClutterFairy]

You have to carry that notebook around like you carry your phone and purse, or train yourself to use a note app on the phone. If you prefer to jot in pencil/pen, then you have to use the little notebook. If you're comfy with tech, then use a phone app and jot everything there. Being consistent is key, so that's why carrying a notebook around just like it's your phone is so important. Whenever you want to make a note, either open the app or the notebook and get to it. Eventually that will be second nature instead of grabbing a bitty piece of paper to write on.

[@laineygann7713]

@@TheClutterFairy Thank you, that's really good advice.

[@MsLeenite]

Um, if you are not a dusting kind of person you may truly have to "clean before you sort". For me, I have to wipe dust off things on a table before I move them somewhere else, before I can wipe down the table, before I can put away things that were on the table but really belong elsewhere, and replace the things that belong on that table. Sometimes what seems like OCD behavior is a recognition of reality. Like if you've stepped in dog poop, insisting on taking your shoes off before you come into the house is not OCD behavior, just sensible. A person who's never stepped in poop and tracked it all over their apartment may refuse to accept that you really SHOULD take poopy shoes off outside.

[@sarahnp490]

Love the "tittle"!

[@aliciaallen5575]

This past week I decided to finally open the sympathy card my vets office sent when my 16 year old cat passed away in March (she had been battling cancer for the second time for some months). Inside they had included a baggie with some of her skin and fur. I have to admit I was quite distressed by it. After I got done crying, I told myself that was not my little girl and keeping it or not would not bring her back. I did keep the box with her ashes.

[@TheClutterFairy]

Oh dear. That's a shock that I'm sure you weren't expecting. I'm glad you could cry about it and then let it go. I'm so sorry for your loss.

[@mossyoakmom8880]

I’m sorry for your loss. I would have been distressed by that also. I would have called them and told them just how I felt.

[@aliciaallen5575]

I’m very non-confrontational. Also I have been with them for more than 10 years and they took care of Shadow that whole time and I know they loved her too.

[@debbiedogs1]

@@aliciaallen5575 - there are people who have cloned their beloved pets, and I think you need a piece of the pet - fur at least, maybe a bit of skin? - to do it. It is very expensive, but many have done it. I wonder if they gave you that for this reason? I do have some of my heart dog's hair, if I was younger and richer, I swear I would have paid to get a close. You can look up stories about people who have done this.

[@cswhitak]

If you complete the weekly assignment, have you been "titillated"? LOL.

[@TheClutterFairy]

THAT is funny!

[@lesleybowen6590]

This is excellent! Now I am older, I have only so much energy in the hour glass. Do I run 5 miles or clean/declutter. I have to run for my mental health so that usually wins out. Ideally, I do the chores on the rest days and has I have aged, I take more rest days. I still like your trash or keep jumpstart and garbage cans at the front door for mail. Thank you for your Tues talks.

[@pattiwise2122]

Great ideas!

[@feathersky860]

Thank You 🙏🏽 👍🇺🇸❤️🙏🏽✔️🦅

[@TheMercymerz]

Not trash but Everything else makes me pause

[@suzanbak1]

Explanation of The Tittle!!

[@TheClutterFairy]

Not sure if you're asking for one or explaining that there is one, so I'll attach the link for the tittle explanation here! www.clutterfairyhouston.com/tittle/

[@suzanbak1]

I have listened to this episode multiple times.. 🎉great guide

[@laineygann7713]

How can I break the habit of slips of paper all over the house? I make little notes when I'm on the phone or in a hurry?

[@kellymeyer1677]

Go back and listen to the episode about using a notebook to put all of your notes in. Makes a difference. Then when you are on the phone,just tell the caller you have to get your notebook to write it down. No different than when someone needs to find a pen that works.

[@laineygann7713]

@@kellymeyer1677 thank you

[@username00009]

@@laineygann7713 I know this is an old question, but I started using a Travelers notebook so I could have multiple sections without having to lug a five subject notebook around.