Hoarding - A New Start

lostinrates

Medicine...mine is in the bedroom. I have one of those seagrass chests full and an ikea bag full of overflow and dh's stuff (he only has mild psoriasis but it seems to require loads of gumph!). I keep a box at a time of the ones I take at bedtime by the bed. Tbh, these are the only crucial ones and the only I have ATM as repeats. I also have a blood pressure monitor in my bedside table drawer.

First aid kit...we have one on the yard and the other less organised one is in with my meds. (lemsios and stuff like that are in the kitchen as you make them there)

Spare curtains etc are in two trunks ith fabrics one in the sitting room (that someone here admired in a pic) and one in another trunk upstairs) ATM I also have some in bags as a friend brought be here spares to see if any of them will fit at any of my windows but they don't next time I go there or she somes here we will return them.

Goldiegirl

I own three vases.

One is a crystal vase, which I got for my 15th (crystal) wedding anniversary. I have another crystal vase which belonged to my MIL. Both those vases are on display and are used from time to time when I get flowers. I also have a large glass vase stored in the kitchen, for the VERY rare occasions when I get a large bouquet!

I did have other vases, never used 'em, so they were sold on eBay.

First aid stuff and any meds live in kitchen cupboards for easy access.

I don't have any spare curtains, only the ones hung up at the windows. I'm not sure where I'd store spares, so it's a good thing I have none.

Packaging things ...... Well, I had a major declutter yesterday. I got rid of a lot and the rest is stored very neatly in a cupboard. As I eBay a lot, the packaging is needed, honest!

As for my hair dryer, it lives in a chair in the spare bedroom. It's not a very good home for it, but it's handy. I have got cupboard space for it, but I like it to be on hand.

nightsong

Congrats on the fish Jo Jo and loving the names, another Big Bang Theory fan here. Sheldon would approve of you watching The Green Lantern

Byatt, is that Polo in your avatar? Sounds like he is settling in brilliantly.

Liking all the "what goes where" discussion. My hair dryer lives under the bed where it's plugged into an extension cord, along with a small fan heater and a CD player. This works surprisingly well - I just pull it out and sit on the bed to dry my hair, then shove it back under the bed.

Other items mentioned, not so good. Spare curtains live in the loft where I forget about them. Pretty pointless really. I downsized my vase collection, then DS3 came home from a late-night Tesco shop with an armful of flowers for me just after Christmas - 11 bouquets for £3.50!! I couldn't have been more thrilled but ended up having to press all sorts of jugs and glass containers into service. Mind you that's not the kind of thing that happens to me very often!

I believe in the general principle of keeping stuff near to where you'll use it, must try to implement it a bit more.

All four of the last lot of ebay sales are now off in the post. People who buy wool seem to be very conscientious about paying promptly, bless them. Four more finishing this Sunday.

So far I still haven't bought anything unnecessary this year. Got DS4 a birthday card in the village shop today but wasn't tempted by anything else. DH saw a calendar made by and featuring our village and said "shall we get it" - I wasn't averse to it, but said "where will it go" and as neither of us could think of a sensible place we left it. Yay!

Brighton_belle

nightsong wrote: »

I downsized my vase collection, then DS3 came home from a late-night Tesco shop with an armful of flowers for me just after Christmas - 11 bouquets for £3.50!! I couldn't have been more thrilled but ended up having to press all sorts of jugs and glass containers into service. Mind you that's not the kind of thing that happens to me very often!

Which is a perfect demonstration that you didn't need loads of vases for a rare 'just on case' event - you managed fine using jugs etc for the short term.:T

With the calender, that's a brilliant principle of before you buy something, ask 'where it is going to go' and if there is no place for it, don't buy it:T

I have a confession, I bought a heated clothes airer from L*keland (that is not the confession - it is very pracitcal and long thought out purchase) but it came with a freegift of 8 x 750ml plastic tubs which I couldn't bring myself to decline even though I didn't need them. I'll give them a month to see if I use them and if not I must pass on...I must pass them on...I must pass them on...

Old CD rack to c.s. today.

This_Year

blossomhill wrote: »

but where would other people keep things like
blood pressure monitors - in the bedroom so you can take it first thing before you get out of bed (my GP advised me is the best time for your actual reading, as once you get up, have a wee, cup of tea etc your BP has gone up accordingly)

spare curtains/linings out of season - top shelf of the airing cupboard
cat & dog paraphenalia - under sink cupboard
vases when not in use - under sink cupboard
hair stylers - I keep mine in the top drawer of my dressing table once they've cooled down

"

neck braces - I would think in a handy drawer? Not sure as never used one!

The_Dragon

Hmmm are they freezer ones Brighton Belle (I am just about to order some!)

GreyQueen

whitewing wrote: »

I have a ribbon tool thing that shreds the ribbon into lovely curly bits. I did declutter the CD that showed you how to use it. I can never follow instructions.

The_Dragon wrote: »

Hmmm are they freezer ones Brighton Belle (I am just about to order some!)

I don't actually own any of the things on that list, not even a hairdrier, so can't help you with that.

Last night I had a LBM.

I struggle to keep the very small table in my very small living room clear. This table has to stand against the wall and is only 21" x 35". It's the only flat surface to work on, unless I use the floor and I ain't as nimble as I used to was, IYSWIM.

Having the table clear means I'm far more likely to do stuff, such as the sewing machine project I did earlier, which I would probably still be procrastinating about if I had to clear the tabletop first.

Starting last night, I formed a new habit. Regardless of what else is going on, that table top will be left clear each and every night. No kipple, no carp, no more excuses.

Fingers crossed this brain-training thing will work, takes about 40 days to habituate yourself to a new way of being, doesn't it? Only 39 to go, then.:rotfl:

This_Year

As it's been horribly snowy and treacherously icy, my OH didn't risk sorting the shed out, but has removed, emptied and got shot of a lot of the boxes on the landing! Umpteen bags for cs, bags of card to take to the allotment to burn off the weeds and I have an almost clear hallway It really looks light up there now!

I just wish that work had "snow days" like schools and colleges do, I really don't want to have to slipslide all the way to work tomorrow, it frightens me! :eek:

This_Year

GreyQueen wrote: »

Starting last night, I formed a new habit. Regardless of what else is going on, that table top will be left clear each and every night. No kipple, no carp, no more excuses.

Fingers crossed this brain-training thing will work, takes about 40 days to habituate yourself to a new way of being, doesn't it? Only 39 to go, then.:rotfl:

I do this with the kitchen worktops, no matter what else is going on, my worktops are always clear and freshly washed over. So when I get the urge to cook, I can get going without having to clear space first. Plus we use the surface under the cupboard, with the bright light for ebay photos, so it makes sense to keep it clear.

Baby steps! (that's also how I walk in the ice, daren't risk striding out like some people I've seen! :rotfl: )

katep23

Hi everyone and happy new year - been MIA since new year's eve! Happy belated birthday to JoJo and congrats to Byatt on the new addition.

Have been having an awful time at new job to the point where I have handed in my notice. Going to work my notice then have a few weeks off to decide what to do next.

OH has set up his own company and is working out of his office which is the box room. As he is in IT, he collects all sort of random paraphernalia and the office is full to over-flowing.

Today he decided he needs to have a clear out and I have listed 12 things on Freegle. There was someone on a smaller local group who asked recently for computer bits so I posted the advert on the main group then emailed him; I wanted to get rid but didn't want to wait if he wasn't going to respond.

I have had loads of responses already (advert only up for half an hour!) and this guy has also responded and said he would like it all so need to check OH is okay for him to collect tomorrow and that will be a load of stuff gone - phew. Then just to disappoint those who also responded (I hate that part of Freegle!)

Re weight, I think there is a link; I am currently in the process of losing weight (lost 8lb so far, need to lose another stone) but I had to get in the right frame of mind to start the change in eating habits. It's the same as hoarding, I not only need to acknowledge the problem but to be ready and open to deal with it.

I have a recurring dream that I have started smoking again (I quit 5 and a half years ago) but I won't admit that I am smoking, "I'm only having one!" I think this is my sub-conscious poking me to deal with the things I am trying to deny, such as the hoarding, the weight, being unhappy at work.