Hoarding...not just on TV

alice-mary

Hi All,
I haven't posted for quite a while but I HAVE been keeping up with the posts...well done everybody and lots of hugs to those struggling ((())).
I have been slowly plowing through my carp and today had a friend round for an hour before we went out (a long standing arrangement that has involved her eating at mine, ignoring or accepting the mess, then getting a taxi to wherever we were headed for the night, for the last few years). This evening, she looked in amazement at the lounge and actually pulled me into a big bear-hug when she saw the kitche:Dn! It was lovely that a trusted friend, who usually looked beyond the RICHARD in my house, saw real progress in what I have been doing and said how pleased she was for me, also saying that she was quite jealous, in a nice way, that I have been able to stick to my plan! I still have a long way to go (thinking that I am not yet ready to invite gorgeous younger man back round) but to have acknowledgement from somebody who would not normally judge me anyway :A was heart-warming! Still baby steps, but every journey starts one step at a time, if I can start the journey, anybody can!

Alice
xxx

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

Well done - that younger man may be in your clutches sooner than you think!

valk_scot

I have been thinking about how to approach my attic. I feel the main floor of the house is approchable, it's broken up into zones/rooms after all and within each room there are smaller areas of different sizes and difficulty. If I just want to do a little bit I can sort ot a drawer or a shelf, if I feel energetic I can go for a whole cupboard.

But the attic is more daunting. It's 45' long x 15' wide and it's pretty full. I'm not saying it's a complete shambles, there are distinct collections of things like the six big cardboard storage boxes that hold the collection of handmedown school uniform, sports clothing and other clothing for DD for example (needs sorting), the tent canvas area (that has to stay, it's vital), the Playmobil end (which I'm just intending to ignore for now tbh), Christmas things and decorations (need sorting), other toys and Hornby (need sorting), a huge amount of back paperwork for my OH's old firm (needs sorting but I can't do it, OH won't though), old PC and camera equipment (ditto), a vast collection of household stuff like curtains, bed linen, duvets etc (definatly a target area to reduce by 50%), my craft things storage, (which I DO use and turn over regularly but which need a tidy out), the luggage store area (which also needs a sort and cull) and finally the sleeping bag stack, which does get used. Oh and beside that there's a pile of old pictures. In fact on top of this reasonably organised system there's also a fairly random layer of ither clutter too, not to mention five spinning wheels (I teach this, I need them), a loom and four vintage sewing machines.

Actually on my mental trot round I've answered my own question about how to tackle this massive mess, haven't I? One zone at a time, same as the downstairs. And to hang onto the new filter which is not "Do I like this and/or is it possibly going to be useful one day?" and replace it with "Do I need this and am I going to use it?"

It's still a massive job though. Not to mention I then have to bag it up, drag it down the Ramsay ladder and then down another flight of stairs after that to the utility room from whence it either goes into the bin, the dump pile or the CS pile.

Oh yes, have I mentioned the utility room? Bikes and bike stuff, camping equipment and tents, gardening equipment, gardening supplies, the laundry area in the corner and the second freezer. It is only 12' x 12' but has a 20' high ceiling, on one side there are 12' high shelves and the bikes and wheels etc are hung on wall racks. It is stuffed, trust me. Organised but stuffed. It's a whole major task in itself but one I need to tackle asap, I'm giving up my allotment in November and at least some of my vital gardening equipment will have to come home with me then. So I need to derichard the utility room so as to be able to have room to keep the genuinely useful things.

I am feeling positive about this though. Usually I feel overwhelmed by it all but even the small amounts of progress I've made already have sharpened up my desire to do all this. It's easier too with a more strict set of rules as to what you dump, isn't it? It's like having been given permission to get rid of things.

blossomhill_2

valk_scot wrote: »

Edit ... a vast collection of household stuff like curtains, bed linen, duvets etc (definatly a target area to reduce by 50%

edit...
I am feeling positive about this though. Usually I feel overwhelmed by it all but even the small amounts of progress I've made already have sharpened up my desire to do all this. It's easier too with a more strict set of rules as to what you dump, isn't it? It's like having been given permission to get rid of things.

The attic really sounds quite an exciting challenge - to me, because I am not emotionally attached to the stuff, and I don't have to do the work :rotfl:

A list is always a good place to start and you have listed it here ... and what jumps out from your list as a quick win is the household linens ... you've already quantified what you want to ditch (50%) so it's probably possible to even identify homes before moving things ... a freecycle offer saying "bed linens for dustsheets" and see what request you get, then divide between keepers/CS/dustsheets (if you have a freecycle group), making sure that the keepers pile is no larger than the other two combined
If you think of them as dustsheets they become low value items so can be left on a doorstep

Good luck however you decide to tackle it :T

Can I just add a "Grrr :mad:" to Cath Kidston and all the quaint teatime revivalists - a few years ago it would have been easy to dump tabelcloths, cups and saucers, pinnies etc but now they are "in" again I am finding it hard

alice-mary - well done, so please for you, and your (ex) debts too - such progress you must be so relieved at getting all the ducks in a row!

Brighton_belle

Still reading avidly, but haven't had the mental energy to post, particularly as so many people deserve a mention that I then feel overwhelmed by the enormity of that task. So I'm letting go of always having to do that if I just don't feel well enough, but I am loving the great insights, support and constant trickle of newbies who have been lurking and fnding the thread so helpful:T

alec_eiffel wrote: »

Letting go of any dream is tough isn't it, even when the dreams are really held by other people. I think I kind of get bound up with confusing "could" and "should". I get the "oh you're arty you should be selling things" from people and yes I could sell things but I don't actually want to, so it's not something that I should do.

This is great - I have the same issue - I make stuff and occasionally sell it, but 'everyone' thinks I should make and sell a lot more. I love the idea of that,and wish i could be that peson, but the reality is I find it stressful to go into 'production'. Just because 'I could' doesn't mean 'I have to'.

valk_scot

blossomhill wrote: »

... and what jumps out from your list as a quick win is the household linens ... you've already quantified what you want to ditch (50%) so it's probably possible to even identify homes before moving things ... a freecycle offer saying "bed linens for dustsheets" and see what request you get, then divide between keepers/CS/dustsheets (if you have a freecycle group), making sure that the keepers pile is no larger than the other two combined
If you think of them as dustsheets they become low value items so can be left on a doorstep

That's a good idea deciding on future homes before I tackle the actual clear out. My trouble is that I've got x3 households worth, my own, my mother's and my late SIL's...and she had hoarding tendencies too I think, now I look back on her house clear out. So while much of this suff may not be my first choice in style, it's all rather good stuff. And I took all the ratty ones out to use as dustsheets long ago.

However there's always the trusty CS, of which we have many in the town. And when we got our new kitten from the cat rescue two weeks ago I noticed they had a sign up in the window asking for old towels. I am going to keep two sets of bedding for each bed, one for the guest bed, enough towels for a x3 rotation, one set of camping and swimming towels only, one out of season duvet for each bed in addition to the one in use (only one duvet for the guest bed) and the woolen blankets. Enough?

Next stop, the curtain horde...

greenbee

Val - when I sorted my linen out a couple of weeks ago, I kept three sets for each bed (except the spares, they only have 2) to allow for illness (either the need for extra changes or delays in washing), holiday etc. I have also tied all my towels in bundles so that sets are together. Bedlinen is being stored in old laundry bags (annoyingly I don't have enough of these now, although I had more than I needed for laundry) to keeo it tidy in the airing cupboard. It's especially useful for the spare room and sofa bed stuff that isn't used often.

The airing cupboard is so much easier to deal with now!

PipneyJane

wannabe_sybil wrote: »

After reading the 'what is happening to the OS board' thread, is anyone else nervous about this thread being moved?

...

Loads and loads and loads of hugs to all - now is a good time to take care of yourself.

I just read that rant as someone being snarky for the sake of it, to big up their own ego. (Ok, I've only been a member a year, but the OS Board is lovely.)

Well done with the wire rack. My own struggle is with things I need to alter or change to make useable/wearable. What happens if I ruin it? I have to remind myself that it isn't being used/worn at the moment, so no great loss.

whitewing

I have to chuckle at how specific some of our aspirational lifestyle is...stockings with seams up the back...I know exactly what you mean.

I have just wasted a whole 24 hours. I decided to do a bit of a cull of my craft cupboard - just take out the stuff that I didn't want any more. This includes loads of card/paper from my cardmaking days. SO then I decide I can make personalised cards (Happy Birthday Aunt etc) for next year. (This year's family cards are all bought and arranged in my card box at the beginning of the year). So instead of decluttering I sit at my computer and look up pictures for inspiration. But even though I have the card, the time and effort involved to make them look half decent is not worth the gain and space I would generate by decluttering them. So it is back to the original idea of moving on my card-making stuff to have space and time to do scrapbooking.

DH is really annoying me today. He is just sitting round the house. I have been trying really hard over the last week to keep the house tidy and clean, and have stacked and unpacked the dishwasher a million times, but he can't even be bothered to put his plate straight into the dw or wipe the sides in the kitchen to keep it clean. Because I am decluttering rather than tidying, there is just a small amount of daily living mess. An hour of his time putting clothes I washed yesterday away and other little bits and pieces would make me feel like my efforts were appreciated. He;s the neat freak after all. He gets upset if I don't make an effort, but when I make an extra effort he goes into can't be bothered at all. Can't ask him to do anything because I am in snappy, totm mode.

On the plus, he has got the packaway table out so I can arrange the stuff that is going into piles out of reach of my daughter.

Jettycat

whitewing wrote: »

DH is really annoying me today. He is just sitting round the house. I have been trying really hard over the last week to keep the house tidy and clean, and have stacked and unpacked the dishwasher a million times, but he can't even be bothered to put his plate straight into the dw or wipe the sides in the kitchen to keep it clean. Because I am decluttering rather than tidying, there is just a small amount of daily living mess. An hour of his time putting clothes I washed yesterday away and other little bits and pieces would make me feel like my efforts were appreciated. He;s the neat freak after all. He gets upset if I don't make an effort, but when I make an extra effort he goes into can't be bothered at all. Can't ask him to do anything because I am in snappy, totm mode.

I know that feeling, I get so cross when I'm busy doing useful stuff around the house and the OH just sits on the sofa, puts glasses and plates down on the floor or a convenient surface when he's finished with them and (a particular bugbear of mine) coke cans on the worktop in the kitchen instead of in the bin which is right next to where he leaves them :mad: Rant over!

At these times, I try really hard to remember the times he's done stuff when I have been suffering from lethargy, but it's hard! Take a deep breath and try and focus on the good stuff you are getting done and don't worry about hime for today