Hoarding - A New Start

nearlyrich

Ironing pile was a big thing for my Mum, there were 8 of us and she was never on top of it, I did quite a bit when I was old enough. I inherited her disorganisation and when my children were small the ironing board was always up in the lounge, when my now DH met me he thought it was where it lived. I decided about 20 years ago working full time with a reasonable amount of spare cash to pay someone to do the ironing ( Shock Horror) it cured the problem of the ironong pile and my free time cost more than the ironong service ( based on what I was earning). I now use the shake and store method of clothes storage only iron if absolutely necessary and I don't look crumpled honest..

Give it a try don't add to the ironing pile !

suzitiger

This_Year wrote: »

We've made some progress

I've said to OH that I really can't be living in chaos anymore and that this must be the year we get sorted. *cue dumstruck look*
We've agreed to dive down a couple of boxes a day and decide what we need to keep (as an example, I opened a box and dragged out an ashtray (we don't smoke) 2 brewery logo bar towels (may ebay these!) and a doggy's head glasses rest (dislike!) and he agreed these could go (along with the slipper from earlier!)

Small steps but he didn't panick and the sky didn't fall in

Woooooo well done on confronting the issue, sounds like you have made good progress! :T I am enjoying reading your posts

karren wrote: »

im so so proud after reading this and matter of a little mouse creeping into loft!

I now have clear loft apart from plastic boxes with cherished baby toys and clothes and the decs!!!!

airing coupboard is empty!!!

I had huge issues keeping utter junk so yippee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

WOW!! :eek: Amazing! I can't believe you have done so much. Similar things have happened to me in the past enough to make a good dent. One was that my parents house flooded in 2007, I was at uni at the time but home for the summer so had to help clear out the garage which was packed full of just...JUNK, including mine, it all had to go as it was all ruined but I think there have only been two things in a garage full of stuff that my family have thought...ooh...I wonder where that got to..so 99% wasn't missed. The other thing was in my flat when we had a mouse last winter in the bedroom and we had to clear it all out, now its the one room in the house that functions well. It is still quite messy of course , that's something we're still working on, but it is a MUCH better room to be in since mousey mouse :rotfl:

Catriona_P wrote: »

At a charity shop book sale last year I found an old hoarding book called 'Freedom From Clutter' - printed in 1989! But most of the principles in it are still sound. I photocopied one page in particular which I use regularly on how to sort junk:

'It is junk if:
- It's broken or obsolete (and mending it is unrealistic)
- You've outgrown it, physically or emotionally
- You've always hated it
- It's the wrong size, wrong colour or wrong style
- Using it is more bother than it's worth
- It wouldn't really matter if you never saw it again
- It generates bad feelings
- You have to clean it, store it and insure it (but you don't get much use or enjoyment out of it
- It will shock, bore or burden the next generation

It's not junk if it:
- Generates love and good feelings
- Helps you make a living
- Will do something you need done
- Has significant cash value
- Gives you more than it takes
- Will enrich or delight the coming generation'

I find this helps me when I waver. Righto, back to study!

Sorry for the GIANT post but I just HAD to re-post this, I have this book, its so funny, it actually belongs to my parents but I borrowed it :rotfl:

So many wise words from everyone on the forum today.:D

I have been super busy with my classes today but everything went well. This evening I have decided to de-clutter and then recycle one cardboard box with loads of random things in from a hurried pre-xmas tidy :eek: I have nearly finished and managed not to churn too many things, some of it was things from the desk that do need to go back on, most of it was utter carp though :rotfl:

Catriona_P

suzitiger wrote: »

I have this book, its so funny, it actually belongs to my parents but I borrowed it :rotfl:

I really like this book but you can tell it's written by a man, the section on clothes makes me laugh - he advocates throwing out anything impractical like high heels, delicate dresses etc. I want to cut down on my hoarding but dammit I'm still a woman

GreyQueen

Catriona_P wrote: »

I really like this book but you can tell it's written by a man, the section on clothes makes me laugh - he advocates throwing out anything impractical like high heels, delicate dresses etc. I want to cut down on my hoarding but dammit I'm still a woman

I like Don Aslett's stuff a lot and have read several of his books. He's funny and the cartoons which accompany them are brilliant.

There're some which really lodged in my memory; a man with a think bubble showing a mushroom cloud and the caption What's the worst that could happen if I got rid of it? Another shows a postman walking away from a house as the door (which has a face) spits junk mail back out of it's letter-box mouth. Or the lady with the feather duster guarding a picture turned to face the wall captioned It's much too good to look at!

I was having a thought yestereve about how for some people I know, a severely-hoarded home co-incides with a weight problem. I'm no one to judge, currently about 4 stone overweight myself but working on it.

Have others noticed this in their own lives, or the lives of people they know? I was wondering if it was part and parcel of some of the same issues about not-enoughness........be interested to have some input.

I work for several hours each weekday outside the home but have a couple of projects lined up for afterwards. One is my toolbox. Can't imagine not owning a few tools even though I'm a tenant and get the big stuff done for me. I do go thru it from time to time but haven't been thru lately and had a comedy-moment the other day when I realised that you can't cut anything with a junior hacksaw with no blade in it.

I was also considering the receptacle itself. It's a cantilevered trad bluey-steel toolbox but one of the sides doesn't lever properly, which was why it was a cast-off from Mum to me. It's getting on my wick and the metal has damaged something else, and in such a way that the damage will probably repeat itself.

I've decided that I shall search in the hardware store (my idea of heaven) and see what I can find to replace it. And check thru the container and boot out any useless carp and renew certain things like hacksaw blades and add one or two small handtools which I repeatedly find the need for.

That's my after-work project for the day.

Keep on keeping on. I love hearing about your progress, and even about your sticking points. It's OK to post if your life isn't a constant stream of truimphs. Life's a journey not a competition.

Have a good day, everyone, GQ xx

ostrichnomore_2

Does anyone remember the TV programme The Life Laundry? All about decluttering and de-hoarding. Found one or two episodes on YouTube. This one - about inheriting a junk filled house - hits home. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4dHCq1iUI88

I think there were also books of the series (I think I've got one somewhere...)
A lot of it was about how to decide what to keep and what to throw.

GreyQueen

I've just watched that - brilliant. Thanks for putting the linkie up.

wannabe_sybil

GreyQueen- over eating and hoarding can both be used to fill emotional vacuums.

Duvet day here

sjprmc01

I'm overweight........

blossomhill_2

Catriona_P wrote: »

I really like this book but you can tell it's written by a man, the section on clothes makes me laugh - he advocates throwing out anything impractical like high heels, delicate dresses etc. I want to cut down on my hoarding but dammit I'm still a woman

I think this is a book I read 10 years or so ago where he advocates easy-care clothes - I often picture him, whenever I see an advert for beige sta-press trousers, and drink a mental toast to him whenever I twice-iron my linen clothes - I LIKE linen especially now I know how to keep it nice (buy 2 sizes too big/wash in cold with a drop of liquid starch/no conditioner/iron while wet/again when almost dry/don't take on holidays!) - he recommended never buying linen clothes as they'd stay at the bottom of the ironing basket

I think ironing is very enjoyable as long as you have the time, in summer I do it on the patio under a big parasol - heaven!

I have been thinking about men - down girl! :rotfl: I mean about whether they benefit as much from a forum, and whether they can see a CS as a suitable repository for their goods. Sexist maybe but there must be some differences otherwise why would the majority of posters here be women? Do men get as attached to things like child's first teddy, mum's sewing box?

I also wonder if we were still allowed garden bonfires, would it be easier to clear a garage?

GQ - I have found that a shallow purple garden trug makes a great tool box

Last binday I passed everyone's recycling boxes and saw in them many had QS or Roses tins - previously I would have had itchy fingers to repurpose these, but last week I decided to actually envy the people who could shrug them off - this week I didn't have a sweet tin to chuck out but have 3 large biscuit tins in mine :T - from the 80s but still in prefect nick

lostinrates

blossomhill wrote: »

I think this is a book I read 10 years or so ago where he advocates easy-care clothes - I often picture him, whenever I see an advert for beige sta-press trousers, and drink a mental toast to him whenever I twice-iron my linen clothes - I LIKE linen especially now I know how to keep it nice (buy 2 sizes too big/wash in cold with a drop of liquid starch/no conditioner/iron while wet/again when almost dry/don't take on holidays!) - he recommended never buying linen clothes as they'd stay at the bottom of the ironing basket

I think ironing is very enjoyable as long as you have the time, in summer I do it on the patio under a big parasol - heaven!

I have been thinking about men - down girl! :rotfl: I mean about whether they benefit as much from a forum, and whether they can see a CS as a suitable repository for their goods. Sexist maybe but there must be some differences otherwise why would the majority of posters here be women? Do men get as attached to Tthings like child's first teddy, mum's sewing box?

I also wonder if we were still allowed garden bonfires, would it be easier to clear a garage?

GQ - I have found that a shallow purple garden trug makes a great tool box

Last binday I passed everyone's recycling boxes and saw in them many had QS or Roses tins - previously I would have had itchy fingers to repurpose these, but last week I decided to actually envy the people who could shrug them off - this week I didn't have a sweet tin to chuck out but have 3 large biscuit tins in mine :T - from the 80s but still in prefect nick

Blossonhill, dh is FAR MORE sentimental than I, and still more of the hoarder. He also enjoys shopping more (I have noticed that quite a few busy, successful hard working men seem to really like big supermarkets especially, I don't understand it but it's where they want to go).