A Decluttering Philosophy: Putting it All Together - The Clutter Fairy Weekly #39

You two are the greatest. I keep peeling the onion and no tears. It’s such a relief getting rid of stuff.

I don't want sad emotions when I look at certain things in my home. I totally agree with you Gail, it is good to let those things go.

Thank you Gayle and Ed as always for your inspiring videos. xx

Your observation about how good the item looks at the store is spot on ; I used to visit Home Good because it was so organized and neat. I knew not to buy items but simply would go there for the calmness. They also suck your time away by playing music I liked. Now I only go there when I need to replace dog toys or buy a particular dog treat that is less there than on chewy! Thanks Gayle and Ed for all you do!!

My thinking about holding onto keepsakes / momentos of a loved one who has passed is that we are trying to keep that person with us. We are trying to mitigate the loss, and the impact of them dying on us. But we could never really keep enough things to keep them with us. We cannot really buffer the loss of that person from our lives. We cannot ‘make it better’. They are gone. We will no longer be able to benefit from their friendship, support or wise counsel, except perhaps in some respects spiritually or in our hearts and memories. But it will never feel as comforting as seeing them in person. The loss is real. The hole they left is now part of the fabric of our life. No trinket, photo or item of clothing can adequately patch that hole up. I think it may be better to acknowledge that the ache, the loss & gap may never go away. It may never be the same or as good without them, but we can learn to accept & live with that.

This series has helped me declutter some of the items I’ve hanged onto for years. The question “Would my best self keep or use this” I’m trying to downsize. This series has helped me look at things in a different light. Thanks so much you have helped change my daily living environment and habits💕🤓

❤️ this! As a crafter, I often fall down the rabbit hole of "Can I use this?", when I should be asking "Can I benefit from this?" instead.

Which is your talk on emotions? I inherited a hideous cedar chest on legs that I referred to as the sarcophagus as it reminded me of the place the body was stored in Hitchcock’s movie Rope. One of my most uplifting moments was divesting myself of that cedar chest !! I forgot about living with stuff that makes you unhappy. Thanks for the reminder!

The digital one is genius, I’m starting to go digital with my crafting so I don’t have to have a thousand stamps, papers and bits of ephemera in my room. It’s helping me declutter to know if I miss something I can just draw it on my iPad and make my own digital version. It makes my cards more ‘me’. Yes Jeff Bosos doesn’t need any more money and enjoy your week off 😊

Sometimes when something is free, it is hard to resist on a low income. Also it's OK to throw it in the trash even if it's useful just to get it out of my life. Kathy B

I can enjoy things there in the store, just like I enjoy other people. I don't have to own things or have a deep relationship with people to appreciate them and allow them to enrich my life.

Great video! Thanks both of you!!!😃

Aging makes one come to the realization that time is short, as well as space and energy. So think of an experience you’d like to attend, and save for that, instead of thinking of owning another thing to dust off or box or store. And hold onto that dream or goal when hesitating to sell your stuff or give it away. I see hoarders or collectors as those whom have things to make them happy, instead of good loving experiences with people, or adventure. Things tie you down from the rest of the world. Experiences are what you can take everywhere because they’re in your heart and not your hand. And often enough only one key item is the link to the whole of a memory. Nature is void of ties to the past. It’s where the heart can be felt and memories flow. Home should reflect the same atmosphere. Non-disturbing, and non distracting. And request that you’d rather do some kind of activity rather than have someone spend on another gift.

Yeeesss some really great questions to ask myself while I’m shopping or bringing things in my home and my goals and for the lifestyle I want to live.

Digital storage has its downside. I kept a lot of my photos and documents on computer and when it crashed I was told it was easier to get a new computer. So now I have the big old computer taking up space in the cupboard and no way of accessing anything on it. I also have my father's old computer with his family records on it and no way of accessing those either. I can't throw either of them out. Digital storage sounds easy but creates other problems.

You have given me the practical knowledge and courage to change my life and make my home beautiful again. I LOVE YOU AND YOUR BRIGHT MIND AND GENEROUS HEART ! 🥰🥰🥰 ( And thank you, too, Ed—you are a great Co-Host! 🏆)

Thanks so much for this session. It’s just what I need right now. I recently moved and downsized shedding so much, but still I have too much for my space. Digging into the philosophy and the psychology of the stuff that I still possess is exactly what I needed. I think I can now let more things go without remorse and enjoy the results 😊

I would like to know more about ”prepping” for the next day, or for the Work-week. :)

My suggestion for a discussion topic is clutter & the relationship with ADHD if you haven’t covered that in depth yet. I’m fairly convinced there is a strong connection between the two.

Hi Gayle & Ed! I used to declutter by your video (groung through paper is then so much easier), then fold my laundry and now you're my work out companions :D That's the only time during the day when I have time for uninterrupted listening of longer pieces :) Now, my schedule is busy. I'm working full time and finishing my diploma paper and the deadline is approaching :D. But thanks to assuming this approach of "Does it add value to my lifestyle" I can more easily declutter things I don't need... One thing for me were the social 'obligations' like people's birthdays, etc (I hate partying and once the weekend is on I can finally work on my thesis and relax in silence, but some people just looove celebrating *everything*... so I had to refuse and I had to learn how to do it). thank you so much for your videos!