Eating an Elephant: The Power of Habits in a Decluttered Life - The Clutter Fairy Weekly

[@darleneh608]

I'm the family genealogist, and lots of family members like to give me family stuff for safekeeping. Like my mother giving me all the second-best and not so great photos. She doesn't want them but can't bring herself to toss them, so she gives them to me. My mantra is "I'm not responsible for preserving someone else's memories."

[@alexisquinn2784]

I love to recycle and donate items. I call it reverse shopping and this feels highly positive to me.

[@TheClutterFairy]

Lol love it!

[@CM-wh8hn]

I work in a butterfly pattern too, because I get easily tired. Small house, so no room for different project "stations". So instead of a "fixed" station, I use 3 tier rolling carts, that easily move room to room as needed. One cart for just paperwork, one cart for holiday gift wrap/cards, one cart for holiday cooking supplies and ingredients, one cart for my grandson's toys. I can easily see everything on the carts, so no need to make endless lists. Bonus: when company visits, I can easily roll a cart into a closet to "hide" all this stuff.

[@lynnlambris4817]

Good Morning Clutter Fairies! As someone who has just come out (gratefully unscathed) of the disaster named IAN, I found myself having a REAL epiphany in regard to exactly what possessions are truly important! I'm not talking about grab the dog and run mode but having the "luxury" of 48 hours to prepare to leave home ~ not knowing if it would still be standing when we returned. I discovered your podcast a few months ago ~apparently not ready to actively start decluttering ~ and it was only about 2 weeks ago when I went into a full-on marathon of CF KZbin videos. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU for all the inspiration to get myself moving with your wonderful suggestions and analysis that are actually putting me on track to the best of my ADD/Master of Procrastination abilities. I'm starting my journey by doing my 2021 TAXES ~ sorting through stacks of paper and unopened mail I've been piling up for over a year. I won't even start with the clothing, household and other "paper" I've been holding onto for decades. Hmmm.... Is commenting on this segment yet another stealth way to avoid the boxes in front of me!?... Signing off with this~ (speaking as a woman holding on to clothing sized from 6-16) "If it does not fit you must acquit!"

[@TheClutterFairy]

Thanks so much for watching us as a marathon! It’s so exciting that you’re learning some new info about organizing your stuff. I hope it helps you shift your thinking and reclaim your space!

[@teresacampbell1538]

Love your material. Could you talk more about ADHD/butterfly work patterns? Any other recommendations for people who struggle with Linear projects?

[@valerieshy8749]

I have never heard someone say that they only like grocery shopping, but NO other shopping! I thought I was all alone in this feeling! I go to the grocery store probably every other day to get just a few needed items on my way home. I like to do it alone and I keep to my list and go down only the aisles I need. My "elephant issue" in a single closet that I need to work on are items like: old tech - computers, cassette tapes, CD's, DVD's, etc. I have sources lined up to properly dispose of them, but just need to take the action. Going to work on it one bite at a time over the next 3 months. Thanks for some fab tips that I needed to hear.

[@MsLeenite]

Good to see you're feeling better, Gayle! The question of whether you're willing to change your familiar old habits for the sake of a better and happier life ... well, that's the million-dollar question, isn't it? It's always a matter of "how badly do you want it?" I've done this in the past (at the age of 50), in order to become more financially responsible and get out of debt, when I was tired of cashing my paychecks at the grocery store and paying my bills with money orders because I couldn't have a bank account that wasn't seized by lawyers the moment there was $100 in it. It was VERY hard to do, and required that I nearly turn myself into a completely different person. It took me 10 years, but I did it. I have been debt-free since January of 2012. It was a matter of replacing destructive old habits with constructive new habits and being a hardcase about sticking with them. When I was 58, I also quit a 40-year, 2 pack a day smoking habit. Wish I could say I did it for my health, but I did it for the money. As I got closer to my goal, I realized that the money I was burning up and inhaling could have been reducing my debts so much faster. So I turned my guns on the nicotine addiction. But the habits of procrastination, slovenliness, disorganization ... those are my oldest bad habits. Going back to childhood. Older than being careless with money, older than cigarette smoking. And at 70, with mobility and range of motion issues, the task of cleaning and decluttering my domestic space is daunting. Guess it's time to assess the situation, see what habits have to be abandoned, and plan out the new habits to replace them. Go, me!

[@annasellborn2590]

You go girl! 💪❤️🌷

[@johnangel7768]

This is a very useful video with lots of useful hints. When I have a space that isn’t currently getting the best use for it, I think about your comment about what your story is, what your goals are, that the space could contribute to reaching those stories. Thank you for a great show.

[@Sheryl777]

Like some of the other people you all were talking about in the video, the projects I have are cleaning projects and fixing up projects in every room (including needing to fix plaster on ceilings or on walls in some rooms, and afterwards have the rooms painted.) It's just an older house, no big problem with trash or anything like that thank goodness. I'm still hoping to eventually have all of that finished, but I don't know how many years I actually have left on this earth to be able to get it all taken care of. It's really frustrating to me, because there is still so much to be done in each room, mainly fixing walls and also fixing floors where old carpet has had to be pulled up, that I'm not sure I will have enough time or money left to do it all, but I guess that could potentially be true for everyone though, in whatever situation they may find themselves in.

[@CM-wh8hn]

My game changer for paperwork is ROLLING CARTS. I dump all paperwork on that rolling cart, when I am cleaning up any room. Like all the paperwork that was dumped on kitchen counters, desks, tables. I roll the cart, room to room, and then park it next to my recliner, or desk. I can deal with one paper at a time, from the cart, and can go at my own pace with the paperwork contained on cart. This keeps my counters, desks, table top clear. Also, if I am looking for a paper, at least I know it is on the cart.

[@lovinglife3954]

I tend to ping around the house as well. Sometimes I can be linear, but many times not. Better for me to keep moving and doing something than trying to constrain myself and not get anything done. True ADHD - remember the last D is for "disorder" which means it impacts daily life activities. It's no joke.

[@kathleenstetler609]

yes!

[@TheDriftwoodlover]

This one really resonated with me today, especially your final thought. I will listen to this again.

[@jeannebowes2898]

My routines are formed from good habits learned over the years. We enjoy our simple, productive atmosphere. It leaves time for the outdoors, here in Montana.

[@BB-bx4dp]

I only shop for shoes at stores where you try them on yourself. I am SO picky about shoes, that there's a 90% chance I won't find something to buy at any given store. I feel like I would be "wasting the worker's time." Like that one person wrote about today. My dad said when he was young, they didn't have shoe stores where you try them on yourself. Glad they are now an option!

[@nancylanderson8012]

I'm so happy you are feeling better this week. Thanks for a great show...very helpful.

[@ritatharp5238]

Thank you so much for sharing Gayle and Ed, love you both so much. I get so distracted, so easily, it makes me CRAZY 🤣. So true Gayle, I can only focus on tasks that I don't like, for so long. 🤷 Oh and moving into a new space, brain processing is terrible, "what did I come into here for?". I've got to find something that works for me. "I can't find", is my middle name!

[@ArtyAntics]

I wear headphones when I go into stores with pushy sales people. I pretend I can’t hear them. If I’m interested and they start asking me about credit I say ‘if I can’t afford it I don’t buy it’ then they try to tell me it’s interest free and I say ’sure but that is still credit’. If that doesn’t work the headphone go back on.

[@Iquey]

They're paid a commission to push cards. Some jobs just require a quota even. A simple no thank you , maybe twice, sadly, is all you need to say.

[@ArtyAntics]

@@Iquey no thank you doesn’t always work, hence the headphones. If they still bug me after that I walk out 🤣

[@aliceb.toklas3585]

I am living in a Time Warp. I had to take my daughter off of the ventilator due to covid's pneumonia in February I am living in her room which is like an efficiency apartment. She had piles of clothes and everything everywhere and when I moved in here I added my piles to her piles. There was no place to put anything and I feel like every pile is booby trapped. There could be anything from the hospital or that time in any given pile. A lot of times it will shut off my PTSD. So I really feel like the proverbial person sitting in the middle of land mines all around. I try not to give up I almost gave up so many times. I'm starting to feel a little bit now and function a tiny bit but progress is slow and I get set back easily. My health has gone in the toilet since she died, I have been in and out of the emergency room so many times I lost track. I could use any ideas you have.

[@iamchampagne8183]

Alice, I just want you to know that I’m praying for you and your daughter 🙏🏻. It WILL get better. Your health WILL get better. I’m sending you lots of healing, positive energy. ❤❤

[@TheClutterFairy]

I’m so sorry for your terrible loss. I can’t imagine how you’re feeling right now. My best advice in this moment is to go as slow as you need to go. There is no clutter that can’t wait for another day. If you feel like you want to do something, make the goal very small. “I will pick up two pieces of clothing today” “I will wash my lunch dishes today”. Whatever small thing you can do for yourself is enough. The majority of your energy is trying to integrate the reality of your loss, and that’s the priority right now. My heart goes out to you. I’m so sorry.

[@annasellborn2590]

So sorry for your loss. Be kind to yourself. Lots of love and light to you XX

[@aliceb.toklas3585]

@@TheClutterFairy thank you, I really appreciate it. I think people's prayers and the Cymbalta are starting to work. I feel like I'm coming out of a coma or something. I was able to get several small things done today. Then I hung up a whole pile of my shirts in her closet.

[@sigma_carnivoresse]

Love Andrew Huberman!

[@shannonengelken4629]

Another great video! I’m going to look at the habit trigger create a habit tracker so I can keep a streak going to stay motivated. 😊

[@ros8986]

and is the elephant worth eating? For me the reward of delayed shopping is getting the best item at the best price (and fewer regretted purchases (basically I am a prima donna shopper)). As for "on the fly" I can almost clean my whole kitchen while microwave-ing.

[@nata3467]

I'm a little concerned at how much online shopping is being talked about given that the return rate for online purchases is extremely high and the incredible waste and carbon footprint that this contributes to can we please just talk about being more mindful and maybe even not shopping at all until we absolutely need something not go for that alternative as a society we need to look at all alternatives how can we use the library for books how can we walk to places instead of drive do we need another sweater if we already have 10 I think we overall have to really start being more mindful because we are destroying this planet one person one shopping adventure at a time

[@soak785]

Some places are starting a 20% restocking fee

[@ros8986]

the harder they sell it, the less you need it.