Hoarding...not just on TV

Valli

you are all doing so well...

LIST your vintage pots on e bay - I've just sold 5 Boots Camargue cereal bowls for over £10 + P&P
I also sold an unused length of Camargue fabric I intended to make a kitchen window blind will - well we left THAT house in 1998 *blush* I'm NOT perfect - but I couldn't throw away something unused like that and it only just occurred to me to list it! Equally, becauise I'm looking for stuff to sele to raise a bit I have listed pillowcases - because they were vintage. The word VINTAGE in the listing helps btw;)
either wait for a free listing weekend or (and they are frequent at the moment) or start at 99p

Byatt

wannabe_sybil wrote: »

Byatt - I really feel for you. It is so hard to get rid of stuff that has utility. I was looking at the box my father's father's day present of Famous Grouse came in and thinking - that is such a pretty box, sturdy, I bet it would come in useful...

It will be going into the recycling. But it will take an effort.

As for the cereal bowls, could you commit to not getting any more, put only what you need in the 'place for bowls' place and box up and hide the rest and see how you do? That is a tiny suggestion in a huge mountain of problem. Getting rid of something is such a big thing!

JoJo - thank you for starting this thread. It is being colonised by people who have the same hoarding tendencies as Her (good way of describing that person btw) but I hope we are nicer people who would not behave towards people the same way. I hope you are feeling better, and that the 'getting rid' is cathartic.

Sybil, I don't have room to store anything, so have sorted through the bowls and kept the ones I really like, and the rest are in a box in the car, along with some of the casserole dishes, ramekins, and a few things I've already forgotten! Tomorrow I will sort out jugs I have. edit to add: I have collected pretty/useful boxes too, never filled them, always intended to. I did sell a few when car booting for 50p each I think. I also have baskets. (I don't think there are enough blushing smileys!)

Valli, I did think of eBaying but it means hanging onto to things and I need them to go now whilst i'm in the frame of mind; having said that, the pyrex I am CS, is okish, not that great really. Too many marks and so on. I can't handle the stress of packing them up to post either. I have car booted some things however.

Mayflower, I know when my place is tidy and oragnised (and it has been in the past) I feel better. Is your partner under stress? I know I used to buy stationery when stressed, the amount of post-it notes I have would fill a small shop!

Well, I'm going to bed soon, more of the same tomorrow hopefully, plus a visit to the CS to drop off boxes. Take care...xxxx:A

Valli

have to say, Byatt, that the ebay stash, being added to by my mother, is taking upp quite a bit of under-the-stairs but

she is finally letting go of stuff - came from her parents (mums an only) and her dads two sister, both of whom were childless and her past. I once watched Born and Bred and they had a mirror I last remembered seeing about 40 (eek) years ago - I texted her to tell her and the reply was 'it's in the loft' the clearing she's doing now (and her house is spotless BTW) is finally letting go of the past and helping me pay for my kitchen,

It is hard 'throwing out' perfectly 'good' things.

Byatt

Valli, it is hard "throwing" away things, but most of my stuff is second hand and doesn't really have a family attachment. It's things I got when I've been trying to recreate the past. I have done a lot of car booting, and some ebaying, but the last few things I decided to give to the CS's as a donation as I can't give money. Good for you though, getting a new kitchen is brilliant! I know if I wait to ebay it I will just surrender to the mess again. xxx

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

Just to show what was facing me:

The living room. There's a full size door to a cupboard, an armchair, bureau and drinks cabinet under there.

http://pbckt.com/pA.OCdfPt

The bathroom
http://pbckt.com/pA.OCdzd1

The BATH

http://pbckt.com/pA.OCdk4n



Sometimes you simply cannot hold onto a single thing as there isn't room for it. Just get rid.




ETA: I've got a suggestion; any posters who are unsure whether they have crossed over into unhealthy hoarding could pop a photo or two up here. I'm suggesting this as I'm following the same reasoning as seeing a photo of yourself from the side can bring home that you have put on too much weight to be healthy and provide the impetus to do something about it, whether it's being aware, asking for help or dealing with it yourself.

If anyone wants, for fairness, those of us who are relatives/partners of hoarders, like me, can also post pictures of our own homes. It's not about humiliation, it's about seeing things as they really are.

Perhaps even some before, during and after photos would be good? To show things can change?

Jinx

Scary scary pics Jojo!

I thought my house was cluttered because I have some spare duvets and a couple of piles of magazines etc... I had no idea!

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

This is actually an after picture. :cool:

After all, you can see the floor and the table. Was before my sister came.

Actually, so was the bathroom one - I'd scrubbed that sink for around five minutes under practically boiling water with steel wool.

calicocat

Aww.....are the cat pics Oggy ?
I cam on here originally about you and your mum really , but this thread has been at the back of my head since then. I am not a major hoarder , but do have and have had in the past tendancies towards this , I am staring at a pile of around 30 jeans , most of which in reality I am not gonna get my ar** into again. My flat is small which doesn't help , but not to ue that as an excuse I do keep lots of stuff I haven't used in ages. I too used to 'collect' books , but eventually got rid of a lot of them as the lounge looked more like a libruary. I will have 4 xmas trees in the cupboard , and the more I think about it there would always be the possibility this would get out of control. I also have the 'I can use it somehow' mentality if someone else is throwing something out , but curb this now.

This is a brilliant thread , very useful and honest.
I can't send a pic of my bedroom jeans pile (almost looks like some weird art jeans tower that should be in the Tate !,) as do this on a mobile , plus have no clue how to do it , but will ask someone at work how I do it. I can maybe send pics to my work email and do it that way somehow?
I don't have any real problem to be fair , but can see how this can easily get out of hand......as it has with my friend who's hubby hasn't been home for a month while she has a go at sorting it out.

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

That's Dizziee, the defective cat. He thinks he's a highly trained ninja assassin when in reality, he's more of a Mr Bean character. That was the day he'd had The Op. So he was, in common parlance, absolutely wasted on drugs



This is Oggs. :heartpuls



And these are the other two - Mitzi (his sister)





And Squeak.




I think the look is due to my waking her up. She wasn't best pleased with me.

wannabe_sybil

Your kitties (damn you swear filter) are so cute. You are so much better than Her - you have love and kindness in you.

Photos of room are shocking

Hope you feel better soon - how is your face?