Hoarding - Springing Ahead

blossomhill_2

dktreesea wrote: »

I should be feeling estatic about this, but I keep thinking, and worrying about, all the ensuing space. Not about filling it up again, but stuff like it won't feel so cosy, what if I or someone in the house decides to take up yoga, and hurts themselves, what do people in houses with too much space do with it (OH says he knows the answer to that one; they enjoy it!), will I turn into one of those manic, mad all day cleaning women, who freak at every speck of dust? ( OH says "that would be a change!")

I haven't experienced this much unused space in years. And it isn't like it's a lot. About 10 sq feet in the bedroom and the entrance way would be around 4ft x 6ft. Has any newly dehoarded person found it difficult to enjoy the space?

This is quite a common worry, but very eloquently put.

I don't really like space; I saw a photo in a mag of woman and child on a beautiful bed with a great expanse of bare wall above them - it stressed me, I COULDN'T FOCUS ON THE MOTHER AND CHILD, all I could see was the bare space!

For now, dktreesa, it may help you to think of the space as temporary - when you have your forgotten aspirational objects out of your house you will then have a clearer idea who you are and who you want to be and then chose to put something in some of the space, that is appropriate to the new you.

But some of it must be identified as "fire exit route" and "circulation space" - if you look up any website re design of buildings it is apparent that humans need a wide berth of circulation space in buildings - for now you may have got used to passing OH by shimmying past each other but you will get used to passing in your own space without hooking sleeves on doorhandles or tripping over each others' feet

And you will start to enjoy seeing visitors just put a mug down without eyes roaming everywhere wondering where they can put it

And you will start to enjoy seeing the well-polished wood grain of the table top, or the weave of the carpet

We had a saying on the other thread "feel the fear and do it anyway" - at the moment your fear is space, that is far better than fear of losing an OH due to them being so stressed by the hoard, or losing your sanity, rationality or mind to the hoarding instinct. So yes, the space is scary but it will be useful, and makes cleaning and decorating easier

I find I like to keep one clear space (windowsill) as it is restful and doesn't complicate the view out the window but others (cupboard top) can have a collection of pots on for me to enjoy, I haven't put anything back onto the mantlepiece since Christmas, I like just having the clock there now, whereas it used to be brimming with "things" I now can't even list

If anyone saw last night's Hoarding Buried Alive - the declutter's method of hiding most of the hoard with a sheet to avoid distraction/overwhelming looked a great tool to use

blossomhill_2

OldFartPlumber wrote: »

I am thankfully blessed with a non addictive personality , but have genuine sympathy for Hoarders

If you just advertised yourself as "plumber who can cope with hoarders" you'd make a fortune:rotfl:

whitewing

It took me months before I could enjoy the spaces I was creating. Seeing DD twirling in the room space made me realise how much small children need space inside to grow and play.

Seeing clean, uncluttered kitchen sides used to be huge blank nothingness, which was unsettling, but then I started to be able to sort washing out properly there, or make a spontaneous cake with DD.

Seeing shelves that were empty in the built in cupboard was unsettling too. But again, when they became a ninth square, they became useful.

Now I see restful space, not glaringly 'empty'.

Before I joined the dehoarding thread I hated white. I hated rooms done out in white, or mainly white, and I hated beige and unstrong colours. Now I love looking at white rooms (still not houseproud enough to want to keep one clean). I still like strong colours but I also like muted colours and pastels.

Has anyone else found the colours they are drawn to changing throug their dehoarding journey.

pigpen

blossomhill wrote: »

If you just advertised yourself as "plumber who can cope with hoarders" you'd make a fortune:rotfl:

Hell yes!! I'm first in the line for work done due to my kitchen leak and the guy who wass supposed to come Friday hasn't turned up.... ggggrrrrr... You'd think they'd be glad of the work given how everyone is whining about not having any!

whitewing

We have a valuer coming round this week as part of a possible remortgage.
Our hoarding is now confined to a couple of cupboards. We will obviously clean and tidy the place as normal but how much extra effort should we go to? Any ideas? I kind of assume additional effort would not make much difference in these circumstances.

decogecko

whitewing wrote: »

We have a valuer coming round this week as part of a possible remortgage.
Our hoarding is now confined to a couple of cupboards. We will obviously clean and tidy the place as normal but how much extra effort should we go to? Any ideas? I kind of assume additional effort would not make much difference in these circumstances.

TBH valuers don't tend to look in cupboards, they tend to have a good look outside at the guttering, roof etc. Then when they look inside it's to check there is no damp, no sign of subsidence etc. They may also take note of how up to date kitchens & bathrooms are and if they are new the value of your house will be slightly more than someone with a kitchen from the 1970's IYSWIM

HTH

Deco x

whitewing

That's what I thought deco - basically there is not really anything extra we can do that won't cost money we haven't got available at the moment.

blossomhill_2

whitewing wrote: »

Seeing DD twirling in the room space made me realise how much small children need space inside to grow and play.

I love the idea of your twirly girly, in this house we need room to swing 3 cats

This_Year

I've not been able to do much this week as I've been either under the weather or feeling very down as I didn't get that job I went for. Finish on Thursday, and with nothing concrete on the horizon I feel empty (if that makes sense?) had the leaving meal on Friday and tbh I almost wished I didn't go as it's all sitting on me now and making me feel very scared.

We're not anywhere near desperate money-wise but I'm so used to working, I was made redundant 6 years ago and went from that to my current job, with only a week off, now I'm wondering whats going to happen!

And it's snowing and it's really getting me down.

minimoneyme

I think i know what you mean about space, not that I've ever created enough to feel uncomfortable! When we got rid of one of the bookshelves in our lounge the wall behind it did look rather bare for a while, now there is a sofa there
As soon as a shelf, corner or surface is cleared it fills up again almost immediately as a ninth square. I WILL get there though, the amount I've been chucking out there can't possibly be that much stuff left, it just seems to expand to fill the space!

My main problem is a large family with lots of stuff in a small house. I've been watching recently 16 kids and counting. One of the families seems to be able to keep a lovely uncluttered house. I know their 5 bed home is larger but they probably have a similar person to room ratio as us. But where is all their stuff? They also run a business from home and home educate the 11 kids. And have a white sofa :eek: Yes, you can see toys and bits around, but it seems like 5 minutes of tidying and the place would be presentable.
I definitely need to get rid of one of my lodgers, Justin Case!

Sorted out the bread bin yesterday, it's too warm for bread so we keep all the kitchen kipple in there. I filled a carrier bag with out of date vitamins, old recipes, candles, and stuff. Then I started in the under stairs cupboard. 3 hours and 2 bags of stuff later it's getting easier to find the things we actually use. This is the third time I've sorted it and each time it is easier to recognise the things I no longer need to hold on to.

Purplesarah, well done on the clear window, all that lovely light and air that you are letting into your life now.

Today's aims are 3 loads of washing, a problem corner in my bedroom and a bag of work papers that need sorting, but they definitely won't get done if I don't shift soon!