Hoarding...not just on TV

lostinrates · 30 August 2012 at 9:56PM

Omg thrift wizard, look at the sun shining through, like an advert for flash or some other magic cleaning thing!

Jettycat · 30 August 2012 at 10:12PM

bobble_hat wrote: »

So last night, I....
Walked the dog

Picked up DD

Dropped 2 bags of clothes into the BHF charity bin

Got DD to bed

Dusted and vacuumed through the whole of downstairs, including putting all DH's magazines (which were on the floor) into proper magazine files (IKEA) and removing old magazine rack into car-boot pile.

Hung DD's portrait photos in new frame (IKEA) onto wall

Cleaned downstairs loo

This was all so I didn't have to tackle the huge pile of washing which needs sorting

This morning I dropped DD off at MILs with 18 empty jam jars for her next door neighbour who is currently making jams and chutneys and has run out of jars. Brilliant as these were going to go on freecyle, I will happily accept 1 jar back into the house provided it is full of aforementioned jam or chutney (maybe 2 jars then...:o)

Also dropped a huge pile of books into the BHF charity bin this morning.

Must work, happy de-Richarding peeps :T :T

Wow, busy evening - well done :T

bobble_hat wrote: »

Hee hee The Resurwrecktion :A

I LOVE this so much :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

Byatt wrote: »

Had a text (of all things, no phone call) from sister's neighbour saying I was to return the paperwork I took, including the cheque book, (I don't have it, never saw it, and what would I do with it??)...that sister did not want to see me, and I was return stuff via neighbour. Oh and she's doing really well now home...(so no excuse for being a b!tch then).

A ruddy text.

I haven't replied, stewing over a reply right now that doesn't include all exclamation marks.

I will of course return her "paperwork" although tempted to shred the lot. :mad:

and say it represents my heart.

I didn't have to get involved, but I would have been there for her no matter the outcome of her diagnosis. Which is still in process.

I wouldn't have touched the paperwork except the neighbour said she didn't expect sister to go home again (and as she was very experienced in care, I thought she knew what she was talking about), plus I asked my sister, once when she was in and out of the "now", and once in front of my DD (as a witness) when she was very well...just before being released from hospital.

So, it's walking away time, well, being pushed away time, and counselling cant't come soon enough.

(((((Byatt))))), that's so sad. Pleased to see that you have sent the stuff off and I hope that you can now let the stress go

Buffythedebtslayer wrote: »

In hoarding news.............

I cut down my hand bag collection from two storage boxes and a pile hanging on the door to one smaller storage box, I now have 5 bags for charity shop.....done clothes, shoes and bags, listed books on Green met, and CDs on music magpie.

Need to tackle the shed next. In general it has been a disappointing summer and am annoyed with myself but must remember progress is progress however small xx

That's good progress Buffy, little steps forward are much easier to sustain than giant ones!

whitewing wrote: »

I actually have a confession. I am addicted to the cleaning wipes. So I have only one cloth - DH uses that when he is cleaning. I wipe and throw away. It is my one decluttering luxury/pleasure, which I would have to cut down on if times are tougher. It keeps me motivated to declutter and clean.

Oooh, I'm addicted to baby wipes to clean with. I use them for everything! My LOs are 4 and 6 now so I don't need them for them but I almost always have some in my handbag and have "several" packs around the house.

Happy Birthday bobble_hat, hope you have a lovely weekend

whitewing wrote: »

Bought some fabric the other day to cover something small, but had to buy a minimum quantity. Usually, because of the newness, I would keep the leftovers until I had at least two years of non-use out of them but I have given it to my aunt to cover her chair with.

Well done :j

lostinrates wrote: »

Also, wonder if pet owners can help...how many 'dog towels' etc do you keep? i am guessing a trunk ful is rare? I do use them all in bleak winter weeks though, in front of dors, on their beds, to rub them down, in the back of the car.....

If i cut down on these then a animal rescue might be grateful?

I expect an animal rescue place would be useful, but if you do use them all then they aren't hoarding or clutter, they are useful.

Jojo_the_Tightfisted wrote: »

Anyhow, I have [strike]a whole packet of[/strike] some reduced crumpets to declutter [strike]this evening[/strike] over the next day or so....

What a lovely, sunny last evening of summertime...

Hope the crumpets are helping

Our last two days (and evenings) have been horrid and cold but I'm told summertime here will be having a last hurrah before the kids go back to school next week - fingers crossed!

valk_scot wrote: »

It took me ten minutes in all to do a job that I've been dithering about for six months because it would take me ages. :j Why is that do you think? I know I do find the thought of all the junk in the attic rather overwhelming because of the sheer volume of it. But also I know I keep things because they appeal to me or they might just be useful one day, though that day is unlikely to arrive. Today I felt ruthless though.....:D

I suspect that this sort of feeling is very well known to several others here, myself included. Procrastination is definitely one of my well honed skills.

Wow, thriftwizard, that's fabulous! I love the painted desk and shelves. :A

MIL's sorting went quite well today. Seven bin bags full to the tip and 15 bags of clothes etc bagged up and ready for school charity collection in September. Shattered now though!
x

Patchwork_Quilt · 30 August 2012 at 10:17PM

Wow! What a lovely room! Well done!

Well, I'm Patchwork and I have hoarding tendencies. I never realised how bad it was until I read this thread ... but the reason I started reading it is that we have been decluttering Mum's house this summer :eek: Do feel free to skip this post if you haven't got an hour free...

A few years ago, Mum was widowed. She eventually met a lovely chap and got remarried, went to live somewhere else and left her old home just as it was. She used it for church meetings and a New Year's Day dinner but years and years of squirrelling things away had left it so full of both junk and memories that she couldn't face it. She kept on asking me to tidy it out and I promised I would, as soon as she made a start on it. The last thing I wanted was to make her feel as if she had been bounced into tidying it. Well, in early summer, she made a tentative start, so I waded in. I have felt like an old bag all summer. One of the worst things we found was a shawl crocheted for me when I was a baby by my Gran. I would have loved to have wrapped my children in it but no, it was sandwiched between twelve embroidered tablecloths and some truly awful chair back things. For four decades. Then we had the iron, the spare iron and the other iron that Mum couldn't let go of.

Frustrating? Oh yes. We have looked through every greetings card and cut-glass vase. And there were many.

I, however, always thought I was not a squirrel. I clear out every cupboard and drawer every year. There are no ornaments in this house and there is a constant circulation from the charity shop and then back again.

Unfortunately, I have seen myself for what I am - a decisive hoarder. Mum is not decisive. She is delightfully waffly, all the time. Just like her, however, I have found myself

- keeping things because they are valuable. Why?
- keeping things that people have given me in case I offend them by passing them on.
- keeping two of everything or things I don't truly like, just in case we need it in the future.

I've had to go through our house three times this summer, on top of everything else, just to get rid of it all. This thread has helped though, by pointing out my weak spots, like pretty boxes and old wrapping paper, and giving me permission to throw out half-finished projects.

I've had to be very brave. The worst part was the jam jars. DD astutely pointed out that my 'inner core' was in the kitchen, in the jam jar cupboard(s). Today I have got rid of half my jars and lids and advertised them on Freecycle. I nearly cried, not for the jars but for the life they represented: I thought I was still a SAHM making home-made jam to go on home-made bread. In fact, I have to work, with a bunch of lovely people, but it's not the same. Blossomhill was right when she said this was about loss.

Anyway, I feel much better now. And I have seen it from both sides at the same time, which helps me understand what my Mum has been going through. Thank you all!

Jettycat · 30 August 2012 at 10:31PM

Welcome Patchwork Quilt, scary isn't it as a COH (Child Of a Hoarder) to discover you are one yourself. I always thought I was the opposite of my Mum as I'm a neat freak and am quite good at getting rid of some things. This thread gave me the revelation that I'm a hoarder too but in a different way and I'm reading every day to ensure that I keep this in my mind and don't let myself get as bad as she is.

x

VJsmum · 30 August 2012 at 10:34PM

I have thrown 2 out of 4 pencil cases away, complete with all felt tips, crayons, coloured pencils etc. One I have kept cos DS might use it for school - if not I will chuck. THe other, ermmm - cos there's nothing wrong with it

I have chucked out an old PE bag that was a freebie
And an electric citrus press - why did i want an electric citrus press?:o
And some carp that was in a pot - some buttons, a piece of quartz

A tiny dent in a cupboard that I want as my stock cupboard. But I'm getting there.

The candle maker is still in it.

I have a bag of rags from DDs bedroom - old odd socks, bras, swim suits, trackie bottoms with holes in. What can I do with them? Do the tips take rags for recycling?

Kouzapastella · 30 August 2012 at 11:02PM

Well had a nice lie in, and decided to get some curtains up at my window, one good thing about living in a small place is not lots of windows, so all the curtains are up,then realised I must have one of every design that Doonelm have ever sold, curtains I love, so have put them on EBay together with the matching cushions:eek:Pelmets:eek:Lightshades:eek: and rugs and vases that matched them:eek:My god that's where my money went.

Nightmare scenario happened the HAssoc repair inspector called as he was next door, talk about speechless he must have thought I had a screw loose, was soooooo ashamed when he tripped over boxes, knocked his clipboard oNto the floor and a wash basket attacked him in the hallway...then he went into airing cupboard and my lifetimes pile of towels nearly engulfed him as they fell out all over them...he hotfooted it out of the bungalow pronto when he checked kitchen, my collection of antique empty yogurt pots hurtled at him at great speed when he stupidly ignored my warning not to open the cupboard door, I believe he agreed I needed a new floor in the wet room as the HUGE pile of loo rolls stunned him into yes mode so that he could escape....

Lesson learned today, anyone could knock on my door so best start day 3 of decluttering tommorow.
Wish me luck...:rotfl::D;):rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

Byatt · 30 August 2012 at 11:11PM

thriftwizard wrote: »

Right - I'm ready to show you the "before" & "after" pics of DS3's room

This isn't good but believe it or not, it was already half sorted at this point:

Two weeks later, after rehoming most of the junk & finding appropriate storage for the rest, not to mention making the roman blind from remnants & leftovers & wielding a paintbrush every other spare moment:

It's now housing a foreign student for two weeks (should have been two but one was too ill to travel) to help me earn the money to go out to Chile to visit DS3. So there can be monetary rewards to decluttering, never mind any possible value of the clutter itself.

I was thinking of the first pic, oh that doesn't look too bad (the hoarder in me), but wow! and wow! again, it looks fab Thrift, what a great job. :T And you painted the bureau in the recess! The blue walls stand out so much more.

whitewing · 30 August 2012 at 11:17PM

DH was upset because by the time he got to the recycling place it was shut. (Putting this on here to remind everyone that you don't always get immediate rewards for good intentions).

Been out with family this evening. DH joined us a bit later and has tidied the house in the interim. So we're feeling ahead of ourselves.

I have a suspicion that there is an iron cardboard box and another box from something else that are past warranty and can be chucked. I must go and do that now or that will be another six months before I notice them again.

Byatt · 30 August 2012 at 11:17PM

Patchwork_Quilt wrote: »

Wow! What a lovely room! Well done!

Well, I'm Patchwork and I have hoarding tendencies. I never realised how bad it was until I read this thread ... but the reason I started reading it is that we have been decluttering Mum's house this summer :eek: Do feel free to skip this post if you haven't got an hour free...

A few years ago, Mum was widowed. She eventually met a lovely chap and got remarried, went to live somewhere else and left her old home just as it was. She used it for church meetings and a New Year's Day dinner but years and years of squirrelling things away had left it so full of both junk and memories that she couldn't face it. She kept on asking me to tidy it out and I promised I would, as soon as she made a start on it. The last thing I wanted was to make her feel as if she had been bounced into tidying it. Well, in early summer, she made a tentative start, so I waded in. I have felt like an old bag all summer. One of the worst things we found was a shawl crocheted for me when I was a baby by my Gran. I would have loved to have wrapped my children in it but no, it was sandwiched between twelve embroidered tablecloths and some truly awful chair back things. For four decades. Then we had the iron, the spare iron and the other iron that Mum couldn't let go of.

Frustrating? Oh yes. We have looked through every greetings card and cut-glass vase. And there were many.

I, however, always thought I was not a squirrel. I clear out every cupboard and drawer every year. There are no ornaments in this house and there is a constant circulation from the charity shop and then back again.

Unfortunately, I have seen myself for what I am - a decisive hoarder. Mum is not decisive. She is delightfully waffly, all the time. Just like her, however, I have found myself

- keeping things because they are valuable. Why?
- keeping things that people have given me in case I offend them by passing them on.
- keeping two of everything or things I don't truly like, just in case we need it in the future.

I've had to go through our house three times this summer, on top of everything else, just to get rid of it all. This thread has helped though, by pointing out my weak spots, like pretty boxes and old wrapping paper, and giving me permission to throw out half-finished projects.

I've had to be very brave. The worst part was the jam jars. DD astutely pointed out that my 'inner core' was in the kitchen, in the jam jar cupboard(s). Today I have got rid of half my jars and lids and advertised them on Freecycle. I nearly cried, not for the jars but for the life they represented: I thought I was still a SAHM making home-made jam to go on home-made bread. In fact, I have to work, with a bunch of lovely people, but it's not the same. Blossomhill was right when she said this was about loss.

Anyway, I feel much better now. And I have seen it from both sides at the same time, which helps me understand what my Mum has been going through. Thank you all!

Welcome PQ, and thank your for your lovely post sharing your story and yes a very astute DD. :A

wannabe_sybil · 30 August 2012 at 11:25PM

Long post - if in a hurry please scroll down to ***

Jojo_the_Tightfisted wrote: »

Visualise how it would actually be used, not how it should be, and that might make it less of a wrench for you.

I want to embroider this and hang it on the wall.

Kat44 and Kouzapastella and Patchwork Quilt - hi!

LIR - darling father is a shopper as well, and he brings home STUFF from the Works for little bear. He brought home some mechano figures to make. Little bear had the attention span of a five year old, being five, so dismantled the figures, played with the bits for hours and the holiday cottage we used in May is probably still turning up tiny bolts. Also random meals. Also a guitar for little bear. Also cakes from the church which never got eaten (I have a fruit cake from last September which he brought home. He doesn't like fruit cake, I don't like fruit cake, OH doesn't like fruit cake and little bear won't consider it. Evil cat has even turned her nose up at it - how can I get rid of a goody that someone else has brought home!?)

Byatt - huge hugs! You have done your best, saints can't do more, your conscience can be easy and that is more than can be said for some.

(can you tell I am catching up after a while)

LIR - re linen - you can buy dye stripper (I believe) and I have successfully dyed little bear's shirts after he got red marker on them (sort of, one went a lovely tomato red, one went pink - dyed exactly the same time). Or you can get rid. Do you know any mechanic/decorator that need a lot of rags? My lovely next door neighbour takes all mine.

Thriftwizard - the colour on those walls is amazing! What is it, I lust after it! (probably won't be able to manage it in the living room as it doesn't match the waste paper bin, but it would make an amazing kitchen/bathroom/junk room/anywhere I could put it colour)

Jojo - so sorry you are having these set backs, sending lots of hugs.

*** Main reason for posting - I filled the trolley with woollen blankets that are tatty to go to the RSPCA shop in town, and little bear spotted it. He was genuinely upset that I was getting rid of things that he hadn't seen, didn't use, doesn't use (I have never been able to keep a blanket on him since he was a baby!) and hadn't known about. He was distressed. I don't know how to deal with this. He is five and one half, and bright for his age, but I worry about him. Any suggestions how to handle this?

Anyway, I am not taking them in to town tomorrow as I am starting with another sore throat. Should hear back about the latest tests on 7th.

hugs to all

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Hoarding...not just on TV

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