Clutter and hoarding - help!

System

Well, ive gone mad over the last couple of months either selling or chucking things i no longer will use, or no longer like anymore. I have been totally ruthless and my house looks a bit like those houses in the property prgrammes, you know, clutterfree and empty. I have put what ever is left in drawers, cupboard and drawers. Even the drawers and cupboards look sort of empty and now my house looks bare.:o Its easier to dust though.;)

I chucked or sold the stuff the kids wouldnt use, and they are just left with a handful of Playstation games, a few cds and the pc. Their room looks empty.

I think i have gone a bit overboard and anyone walking into the house would think we are poor.:whistle:

I am waiting for everyone in the house to complain.

Edinburghlass_2

Judi, do you fancy a week in Edinburgh at the beginning of July? You could attend the Live8 second concert at Murrayfield on 6th if you declutter and get rid of all my excess baggage while I am on holiday?

Free internet access thrown during your rest breaks? And can you feed the guinea pigs and cats while you are at it?

Well done girl, I am proud of you :A

System

Edinburghlass wrote:

Judi, do you fancy a week in Edinburgh at the beginning of July? You could attend the Live8 second concert at Murrayfield on 6th if you declutter and get rid of all my excess baggage while I am on holiday?

Free internet access thrown during your rest breaks? And can you feed the guinea pigs and cats while you are at it?

Well done girl, I am proud of you :A

Yeah well ive only got two pairs of trousers and a skirt in my wardrobe now. The others i either chucked cause i decided i didnt like them after all or because they didnt fit properly. I got loads of tops that i kept cause i liked them, but need to go shopping for trousers now.:o

domestic_goddess_wanabee

Hi

Sorry, havent had time to read all of this thread as am sneaking a peek whilst at work!
A couple of things come to mind - hope they havent appeared earlier. there is a support group you can subscribe to and get daily de cluttering motivational messages. Its The-Organiser-Lady-subscribe@yahoogroups.com to subscribe. I found a few of the tips useful.There are also some reading references available too.

Also re the reference to lifecoaching. i am a qualified life coach and trained through Newcastle College (I know this appeared earlier). The course is no longer funded sadly - it costs nearly £400 to do now, however do consider getting a life coach. I am not promoting myself necessarily as all of the coaches training to do the Coaching Diploma will be looking for clients to practice their coaching skills on, at no charge. certainly, I have successfully coached clients on decluttering.
If you want me to pass your details onto a trainee coach PM me with your email address and I will put you in touch.

Good luck

jackiexx

HappySad

I would think that moving houses/flats would be the best time to get ride of all your extra stuff. When my partner moved in with me he got rid of loads of stuff.

We have a friend who is a complete hoarder and his flat he cannot move because of the piles and piles of boxes. There is a narrow path in his living room and in his bedroom to walk but the rest is a endless tower of boxes (your know what I mean). Welll anyway this hoarding friend took home with him every single item that my partner did not want. Even the things that I would class as rubbish.. he took.

A year later we helped this hoarding friend to move flats .. I could not cope with him having so much stuff that were of no real value (that how I saw it)... I had to give up helping him move and went home and did a complete decluttering of my place to make me feel better.

HappySad

Judi wrote:

Well, ive gone mad over the last couple of months either selling or chucking things i no longer will use, or no longer like anymore. I have been totally ruthless and my house looks a bit like those houses in the property prgrammes, you know, clutterfree and empty. I have put what ever is left in drawers, cupboard and drawers. Even the drawers and cupboards look sort of empty and now my house looks bare.:o Its easier to dust though.;)

I chucked or sold the stuff the kids wouldnt use, and they are just left with a handful of Playstation games, a few cds and the pc. Their room looks empty.

I think i have gone a bit overboard and anyone walking into the house would think we are poor.:whistle:

I am waiting for everyone in the house to complain.

You have done really well. :A I wish I could do the same. My bathroom is completely empty and only have the things needed. Kitchen is almost OK but has a few not used much stuff over the cupboards that would be good for me to get rid of. Office, living room, bedroom and loft would need the sort of decluttering that you have done. OH I wish that I could do the same thing that you have done.

When I have decluttered I feel so much better afterwards with more space to move about and more space for my things. Just before my son was born I had to do some decluttering to make room for his cot, bedding, clothes, books and toys. I got rid of loads of stuff.

Now I want to get rid of more things. I want to convert the loft into another bedroom and so all the stuff in the loft will have to go.

HappySad

Judi,

What made you go decide to completely declutter your things in that way? Have you been a hoarder before? What motivated you? What do you say in your head to make you declutter so well? What is your secret?

Domestic Goddes Wanabee
I am thinking of doing the life coaching course at Newcastle. Would you recommend it? Or would you recommend doing it with someone else? Is it a distance learning course? I am based in London and would not be able to travel to Newcastle

savvy

Judi wrote:

I am waiting for everyone in the house to complain.

Hey Judi..................has anyone yet??? I know mine would've done immediately!!! :rolleyes:

andy88_2

Judi wrote:

I am waiting for everyone in the house to complain.

They'll be afraid to, in case you dump the rest of the stuff too :rotfl:

System

LOL, as yet no one has missed anything, although my 19 year old daughter asked me if i had chucked her favourite eyeshadow the other day. Unfortunately, i got the blame but i got an apology later when she found it in her handbag.

I must say, the majority of the stuff that is needed is well out of sight (but tidily and organised of course).