Hoarding - A New Start

mcculloch29

Byatt - that's fantastic news.
Whilst I'm not a cat person, I have seen the pleasure that having a cat in the house has brought. Yippee!

Cas

Hello, lurker here. :hello: Been working my way through this thread for the past week and thought I'd take a deep breath and join in.

I'm a hoarder and OH is as well so double trouble. We were both brought up in families that didn't have much money and a make do and mend mentality. My Dad got it from his parents - as a child in the 70s I remember finding a WW2 gas mask in my grandparents' hall cupboard amongst all the old car parts and tools! :eek:

Our house is bursting at the seams and there's piles of stuff everywhere you look. Neither of us was very happy about the state of our home and we both confessed we were embarassed to invite anyone over and fed up with the mad tidy up sessions whenever our alarm or boiler needed serviced. Not to mention keeping the upstairs blinds closed when the window cleaner was due!! :rotfl:

We realised we simply couldn't continue holding on to old stuff "just in case" whilst spending money on new things. We both know it didn't get this way overnight and neither will it be fixed overnight. A LBM indeed! So this is the year of action and we've been doing a wee bit of decluttering and tidying up every day.

Tonight is magazine night. The latest ones will be read tomorrow and the rest will put outside in the recycle bin tonight. What a difference it'll make to my living room!

whitewing

Oh yes, there is a WW2 gas mask at my parents' too.

Byatt

Decko, the knock on effect has been me taking more care in my appearance too, I haven't quite got back into wearing the odd bit of makeup, but at least when I go out now I make an effort to look human! Which does give me confidence as I'm more inclined to engage with people if I feel ok about myself.

Thanks for all the good wishes about my cat.

elona

Byatt

That is one lucky cat So pleased for you both!!

Clutter in bedroom that was dd's birthday presents all gone and two handbags that I bought are being given to dd tomorrow to choose one if she likes them and I will use the other one.

Airing cupboard cleared out and bedding sorted and a single bed set de richarded for dd to take to uni tomorrow.

Wave and or hug to all.

decogecko

Byatt long may your new found confidence continue and increase.

For anyone (like me) that have old prescription or reading glasses that they no longer use this maybe for you


http://www.visionaidoverseas.org/recycle

There are 2 collection points in my small town b0ots and spocksavers

Deco x

JayneC

whitewing wrote: »

I am definitely not binning baby bracelets. They are scrapbooked in with the photos.

It's ok whitewing it's not compulsory! Like goldiegirl I hadn't even considered that I could get rid of them. It was as if I just had to keep them, but when they were in my hand I thought why do I keep them? I didn't even know where they were until I came across them and I only found 2, there's another 3 somewhere I'm sure. Didn't dispose of DGS bracelet tho I did give that to his mum I also disposed of a tooth????:o I think it was my youngest first tooth he lost, see I don't even know whose tooth it was but there is was in my jewellery box, randomly...

Sorted the mass of stuff hung on the back of my bedroom door and now have one bag (containing my handbags, that I've whittled down to 6 but that may reduce when I've thought about it some more) and a dressing gown hung up!!! that is just amazing - I've never had empty hooks! and you can open my door fully as there's not tons of carp on the back of it:T I also have an empty drawer which is also unheard of!

Sorted a few more jars and have posted an ad on freegle for a box full. I have some left though as I do make jam sometimes... See I can get rid of baby bracelets but not jam jars Told you I was addicted to rubbish!

On happy pet news we have acquired a new pet. DS1 found a chinchilla in his friends yard, he hasn't been able to locate its owner so we have a new pet chinchilla - Claude! I have managed to get an old parrot cage from freegle for him, he seems quite happy in there.

Worryingly DS2 told me off for putting a piece of plastic from the cage in the bin - wasteful he said, could be used for something, even tho it didn't fit properly. Oh dear:o

Cas

Cas wrote: »

Tonight is magazine night. The latest ones will be read tomorrow and the rest will put outside in the recycle bin tonight. What a difference it'll make to my living room!

Been and gone and done it! Magazines are now out in the recycling bin. :j

There's this strange surface underneath the coffee table...I think it's called the floor!!! :rotfl:

suzitiger

momofmonster wrote: »

Hello all

I am new to the forums and on reading this thread i have found my home!!!

I am a terrible hoarder but i do it for silly sentimental reasons. I can't throw things out because so and so bought it for me and i dont want to hurt their feelings. I can't throw out certain items of clothing because i wore it on a particularly good day/night out and it reminds me of that. I can't get rid of the books because I really enjoyed that one or get rid of dvds because i went to see that film with so and so and had a great time!! Stupid reasons

This year is my new start to my new life so really hope i can stop hoarding everything or my mom might come in and just throw everything out!!

Hi momofmonster, I know EXACTLY how you feel, it is really hard to throw things out that have good memories or emotions attached to them. What I found really helps me with some things is if I take a photograph of the object or birthday card, outfit, whatever it is..you may be able to get rid of the physical object as you still have the 'evidence' of owning it, if that makes sense. I hope that this might help you

Byatt wrote: »

I'm cluttering a cat!

I'm getting one from the rescue centre a lovely 5 year old, all white boy.

So excited, it was a big decision, but then I found out about him in a roundabout way and my LL was more than happy for me to have a cat, so I went to see him on Friday and will get him Monday. :T

Not had a cat for 5 years, and have been petless for months and I need something to love. I do my pet sitting, which is lovely, but having one of my own will be fab, and now I have room, well...:D

Yaaaaay lucky cat, very nice news :j

Cas wrote: »

Hello, lurker here. :hello: Been working my way through this thread for the past week and thought I'd take a deep breath and join in.

I'm a hoarder and OH is as well so double trouble. We were both brought up in families that didn't have much money and a make do and mend mentality. My Dad got it from his parents - as a child in the 70s I remember finding a WW2 gas mask in my grandparents' hall cupboard amongst all the old car parts and tools! :eek:

Tonight is magazine night. The latest ones will be read tomorrow and the rest will put outside in the recycle bin tonight. What a difference it'll make to my living room!

Welcome to the club Cas, I am in the same position as you. Its kind've better in some ways and worse in others. Nice cuz one person isn't trying to be clean and tidy around the hoarder of the couple but bad cuz there is twice as much stuff :rotfl: I am only saying what is true in my house anyway. Good luck with the magazine stash

whitewing

Captain, we have a problem...one handful too many CD's to fit into the two CD cupboards. I feel unsympathetic and would chuck out as many as needed. I don't listen to music very often, and when I do it will be the same CD 30 times in a row. DH does actually listen to all his a lot.