Hoarding - Springing Ahead

Gingernutty

I bought a new shredder - it's loud, cross cuts everything into little bits instead of strips and it too cuts out quite regularly.

I went to Rymans. I've never seen the place so busy. They were two deep at the counter. :eek:

All the back to school promotions have started. I used an old student ID to get a discount.

What? It expires in October.

I had the two shredders working in tandem. Working a little routine - one in the fridge, one out, put both back in, give them a little rest and start again with the one that was in there longest.

The shreddies form a really dense bulk, the strips bounce out everywhere and the recycling bin is almost full. They don't come to empty it for almost two weeks. :eek:

Still it's done.

I returned the price display thingy to the BHF furniture shop (:rotfl:), did two loads of laundry and tidied up a little.

:hello: Hi to the newbies. It's daunting when you first 'wake up' and realise just how much stuff you have and how much you have to do.

Just remember, that it's taken a long while to get to that state and it'll take a long while to get your home back.

Until you feel ready to 'go large', sorting out one box or bag at a time should suffice. Just as long as you're not adding to the pile.

GreyQueen

Hello and welcome in, wisterias. Pull up a box, we'll scoosh up and make room. Someone's got the kettle and we'll get a brew going and have a plotting session.

I think the bathroom is the key, isn't it? The elephant in the room, the thing which really has you stuck at the moment and is making you feel wretched.

I can only make suggestions, hopefully I won't be the only one, and that between us, you can find something which makes sense and is useful to you.

Now, this business about the workmen having to go thru another room of clutter to get to the bathroom.......is this logistics or is this (potential) shame? Can they physically not get into the area to work, or is it that you cringe at the thought that they will see your hoard?

Now tradesmen go to all sorts of homes and see all sorts of things. They're pragmatic types. How many homes do you think the average jobbing plumber or sparkie or chippie goes into each year? Gotta be several hundred, right? And they're going to be so shocked at your home and diss you to strangers all across the town? Is this realistic or is it hoarding shame speaking to you?

If you're not sure if there's space for them to work, why not ask them? Just say, I have a lot of belongings awaiting sorting in the area near where you need to work, and I want to be sure there's room for you, would you mind giving the place a quick look before we book the job in?

A big chunk of my work every day is booking repairs on council homes. Our private contractors very rarely refuse to work in someone's home unless there's something extremely gross going on like piles of feces everywhere.....

Now, if that hurdle is past and you want a bit more privacy for the hoard whilst you have outsiders in your home, don't forget the time-honoured tactic of draping it with a sheet/ bedspread/ curtain/ whatever. They don't need to see the fine detail as long as they can get past it.

I think if you can get this bathroom thing sorted out, it will be so good in so many ways. You won't have the undone stuff nagging at you so many times a day when you use the room. You will see a project through to completion, and this will bolster your self-esteem no end. When I've finished decorating or even tidying a room, or a session on my allotment, I like to pause for a few seconds as I leave, to look back and admire my handiwork.

If it's DIY, I will keep coming back to smile at it and bask in the feeling of competance and satisfaction.

Try to envisage these hurdles overcome and the bathroom finished and you, there, in the tub, lying back in bubbles and smiling as you wriggle your toes in satisfaction. It's going to be great, isn't it? HTH.

calicocat

WISTERIAS

Welcome, and I think you will like it here, lots of support,help,funny reasons to keep/get rid of things. I think most hoarders start stuff and loose wind, being on here really helps though. For me a lot of the time if I post i'm going to do something, the for some weird reason I feel I have to, or at least attempt it. Others will get motivation in other ways. It will be different for everyone. And it's knowing you are not alone in the chaos. I have a friend who is really bad and wish she would come on here for help but she wont....yet...she's not ready I guess and it's too emotional for her.

It is definitely baby steps, and stopping and starting is allowed.

Good luck.

decogecko

One's that helped me

'It's just sat in/on ........ someone could make use of this and get enjoyment from it, I'm not and it's a waste'

'I only want things in my home that I love or are useful' - I used this mantra when sorting stuff. TBH I still use it when I know I need to be ruthless.

and

'I'm worth it. I'm worthy of a clear home that I don't feel oppressed in'

HTH

Deco x

parsniphead

roundtuit wrote: »

Thank You xx Feeling less overwhelmed than I was hence the return to 'battle'. The support on this forum helps enormously. Thank you to you all who have the honesty to say how you feel. It's very refreshing.

I want some of Parsnip's energy please Go girl x

Rx

I don't think I have ever been referred to as having energy before but thank you.:rotfl:

Congrats on the job.:T

decogecko wrote: »

'I'm worth it. I'm worthy of a clear home that I don't feel oppressed in'

HTH

Deco x

I really like this one. It says it all really.

MrsAtobe

Hello and Welcome, Wisterias. Paperwork is my bugbear too, so I'll be waiting for tips on how to deal with it. (Apart from buying a filing cabinet and reinforcing the floor, that is). My home itself isn't too bad, but I have a garage full of carp that I need to sort through. Most of the boxes in there were put in storage over two years ago, when my OH moved in, but I just can't steel myself to just chuck them without checking through the contents first.

Logic tells me that if I haven't needed something in there for two years, then I don't need it now, but it doesn't work like that for us hoarders. Try setting yourself a time limit, 10-15 mins and put a timer on. Grab a box and only work on your hoard for that amount of time. I find I work better in short bursts, if I try to sort things out for too long I get head aches and feel emotionally drained.

Another thing that helped me was getting my SIL2B help me sort through my clothes and shoes. We've had two sessions at it now, and having a kindly but objective set of eyes helped me enormously to get rid of things that had an emotional reason for being there, but not a practical one, if you know what I mean.

You've taken the first few steps, reducing the amount coming in, well done!

calicocat

I'm lying awake trying to think of mantras now.

"If it's in your way It will ruin your day,
Get it out the house like you were Mighty Mouse"

Actually that a bit pants isn't it.....it's late.

Gingernutty

decogecko wrote: »

One's that helped me

'It's just sat in/on ........ someone could make use of this and get enjoyment from it, I'm not and it's a waste'

'I only want things in my home that I love or are useful' - I used this mantra when sorting stuff. TBH I still use it when I know I need to be ruthless.

and

'I'm worth it. I'm worthy of a clear home that I don't feel oppressed in'

HTH

Deco x

calicocat wrote: »

I'm lying awake trying to think of mantras now.

"If it's in your way It will ruin your day,
Get it out the house like you were Mighty Mouse"

Actually that a bit pants isn't it.....it's late.

"If you haven't used it in a year, what's it doing here?"

Actually, that's a bit lame as well...:o

parsniphead

Don't sit and pout, chuck it out..........

I'll get my coat:o

Florenceem

Gingernutty wrote: »

"If you haven't used it in a year, what's it doing here?"

Actually, that's a bit lame as well...:o

I like that one - thanks.