Hoarding - Springing Ahead

whitewing

There is a huge pile of dry clothes on DD's bed. I have never understood why DH can't just pack it away.

I am ploughing through financial paperwork. It is going to take ages. I have found nearly £6 of usable coupons and also got a refund for something so am about £10 up. That always helps with the motivation.

I treated myself to a new A5 jotter pad so I have several lists on the go now. I feel fairly organised. My biggest thing now is to not invent complicated jobs to put on the list. For example, we have a fabric advent calendar. DD will be perfectly happy for small sweets or chocolates in it - a task that would take 5 minutes to set up. But I keep wanting to make it more elaborate with tiny toys etc that would take searching out and cost a lot more.

GQ, won't the iron dry the cover as you are ironing? Hope your cold clears up soon.

GreyQueen

Thanks, whitewing, the cover's dry, I just haven't been arrised to get it off the airer and onto the board. Because I have the following parked on the ironing board;

basket of fruit, 2 novels, a first aid container (empty) a hat, a cash box, a carrier bag of misc, a garment (clean), a J cloth (clean and dry), pkt paper tissues, ziploc placcy bag, 2 tins lipbalm, a 250g pkt peanuts, and an A4 sheet of paper with A List on it.........

I'm BAAAAAAAAAAAADDDDDDDDDDD.

Actually, itemising all that carp has shamed me into clearing it. See ya shortly.

kayester

Writing lists/cleaning rotas seems to be the way forward.

We have a cupboard under our stairs, I made it my challenge today to tackle that, EVERYTHING was in there, old shoes that dont even fit the children, jackets and coats thrown everywhere, bedding and junk. even lots of rubbish and empty backs, hat scarfs and gloves all mixed up ect....
I have come home from the school run and SORTED IT ALL OUT in under 1 hour I have even hoovered it all out and put the shoes we use in there so we arent tripping over them near the door, even the hoover fits in there now. I AM SO HAPPY Not even a week into my rota and already weights are being lifted off my shoulder. I am goign to clean the fireplace and tv stand after lunch

whitewing

Well done kayester, I feel spurred on.

Have been enjoying the new series of OCD cleaners (although I know not all of you like/agree with it).

Beds are stripped and in the washing machine.

Outgrown pyjamas are in a bag for passing on to a friend.

Big piece of cardboard is going to my brother to be reused.

Dishwasher is on and kitchen cleaned.

1 bin bag of stuff went out last night.

I have piles more paperwork to sort out next. I shall probably work until the small hours on it and then I will make good progress when DD is not around/asleep. Bless her, she is a sweetheart but is mummy's girl this week, so if I sit with a pile of papers, when I look up, she has all her drawing paper and is arranging it in the same way. I had spread out stuff on the floor yesterday into neat piles but she couldn't resist the temptation to treat them like stepping stones. Later, when I had moved to a table, she spent an hour putting coloured paperclips onto the papers and taking them off again. She is so cute. I forget sometimes to include her in the dehaording/tidying process so she learns how to do it herself.

kayester

Well had to go utpo school as little lad fell over, having to take him to the dentist soon....however i have STILL cleared my fireplace and tv stand!!
Cannot wait for my tasks tomorrow

suzitiger

MrsAtobe wrote: »

Suzitiger, I got my OH's sister to come over and help go through my wardrobe. She gave me an honest but sympatheitc opinion about what suited me, after all, who wants to keep clothes that don't suit them? Is there someone you'd trust to do the same for you?

We got rid of about four bin bags full - whoops!

Wooo that's awesome! Yes I should have done that when my sister was here staying. But actually she's the one who I went to Primark with hahaha :rotfl:
My OH's sister would be very honest I think, or my OH's mum. Good idea I think I will do that :j

mcculloch29 wrote: »

Suzitiger, hello again. You are a lovely addition to the Toiletries thread, so it's been good to have you there.
I am also a ( recovering ) clothes hoarder. What worked well for me was the No Buying Clothes thread. I've bought virtually nothing this year.
...
Will you wear everything you bought recently? I weaned myself off buying with the questions 'When and where will I wear this?' 'What will I wear it with - if I need to buy a jumper or blouse to match it, it isn't a bargain.' Also 'Have I got one like it or very similar already?'

Do all the spare wardrobe clothes fit? Is there a fantasy you who will wear the size smaller / bigger clothes you bought, but not a real you to wear them? They need to go.
I gave everything that wasn't actually in the sizes I could wear away. (If your weight yo-yos, that might be tricky, I appreciate).
Ask yourself why you haven't worn something. Then deal with it accordingly
I gave a lovely, unworn cream Aran cardigan to a friend because I knew I would spill something on it the first time I wore it. It sat in my wardrobe for nearly 2 years. She has no fears with white or cream.
Is anything in the wardrobe because it needs a repair that you haven't got round to? Get it fixed or sling it. I convinced myself I would get the tricky invisible side zip repaired on a pair of expensive trousers. It never happened in 5 years, they are now slung.
Do you have friends to swop clothes with, the next time you feel the buying urge?
Are the spare clothes good enough to make money at a s/h (good quality) clothes place or the bay of E?
Can you motivate yourself to disposal by thinking of someone who would benefit if you donated warm unloved winter clothing to a charity shop? Women's refuges also accept clothing (along with unwanted toiletries.).:D

Thank you mcculloch, that's very kind of you to say, I love being on the toiletries thread. Without it I would just be a crzy toiletries hoparding lady thinking I was all alone on that front
I am baby-stepping towards graduation :j

And also Thank you for the brilliant advice, I am going to copy and paste yours and MrsAtobe's, words into a document I can look at when I am going to tackle it so that I can focus on the job in hand
Lots of things that you said are very close to how I feel about things too, it really does help hearing it from someone else

parsniphead wrote: »

After weeks of saying I was going to do it I have come on here to say.........

the corner from hell in the bedroom has been cleared.

I still have bits to do in there and it need a really good polish and vacuum but it's looking like a different room. I will be completing this tomorrow.

Yaaaaaaaaaay well done you! :j

suzitiger

whitewing wrote: »

Have been enjoying the new series of OCD cleaners (although I know not all of you like/agree with it).

Ditto. I do feel sorry for the lack of sympathy with some of the hoarders but generally a good programme. i really liked the goat lady and her OCD cleaner, I thought they were both really lovely people and very understanding of each others issues.


I have piles more paperwork to sort out next. I shall probably work until the small hours on it and then I will make good progress when DD is not around/asleep. Bless her, she is a sweetheart but is mummy's girl this week, so if I sit with a pile of papers, when I look up, she has all her drawing paper and is arranging it in the same way. I had spread out stuff on the floor yesterday into neat piles but she couldn't resist the temptation to treat them like stepping stones. Later, when I had moved to a table, she spent an hour putting coloured paperclips onto the papers and taking them off again. She is so cute. I forget sometimes to include her in the dehaording/tidying process so she learns how to do it herself.

Awwww how lovely! This bit made me very broody

suzitiger

greenbee wrote: »

For anyone getting rid of blankets/sleeping bags/warm clothes/rucksacks, you might consider this:

https://www.facebook.com/rucksackproject

Thanks for this greenbee I have now liked it and shared on my wall.
Hoping to do this this year

whitewing

For anyone with odd buttons that need to go or be used up, I saw some lovely handmade cards where the button was glued on as a bauble and then hanging threads were drawn on the card with a little bow. There were a number of different baubles of different lengths on the cards. They were simple and very Christmassy.

House is tidy and vacuumed, apart from all my paperwork. We are going out to tea tomorrow so that will give a convenient time for it all to be done by, I hope.

DH is going to print off some photos that will form part of a Christmas present, so that will be more stuff that can be wrapped up and put away. This is probably my best year ever, and so much has been down to this thread and the freedom that decluttering has given us.

kayester

ok i have gone through my loft. 3 old christmas trees getting thrown away, there is one right at the back that i cant reach, other half will have to climb in and get that when i take decorations out to put up, but im happy that ive got these ready for the tip, along with 3 big bags full of junk thrown in there.....made room for all new xmas things i bought yesterday everything thats in there, apart from the tree right at the back will now get used in about a months time.....
my dad collecting rubbish for me to go to the tip tomorrow
also i cleaned door and windows outside yesterday, i seem to be starting from the outside in and top to bottom which is good along with day to day cleaning, 3 loads of washing done today, all dried and folded, uniforms ironed and all put away.
Apart from handing items for the tip tomorrow I am having a day off, then back to the start on Monday, I WILL get used to this rota!!