Hoarding - Springing Ahead

lobbyludd

go Kayester!

I'm floundering, recycling bins were out last night and I've a boot full of things for the cs but can't work out when I'll be free when they are open, and need the space. have binned some very small random bits picking things up as I go around the house. Sort of pinning all my hopes on the 24hrs when I'm not working and the kids are at their grandparents, till then just trying to keep a lid on it all!

ginnyknit

Lobby you will get there, the main thing is the stuff is bagged off and not absorbed back into the house.

As its nearly the big day, I am concentrating on a) getting rid of this bug I have b) sorting gifts c) carrying round a carrier bag or 2 and filling them with junk for the bin or stuff for the CS.

One more big job shorten Dd's new curtains then they can go. Managed to empty all the bins before the dustbin men came so they are ready for the wrapping paper and boxes - she says hoping for something wonderful in a big box :rotfl: Ds always gets me secondhand books from Ama*on as I hate the cost of new books.

Not making a new years resolution just the on going one of clearing the junk. Sold 4 more small things on fleabay which paid for one of the pressies.

GreyQueen

Well done, everyone, sounds like we're persevering despite the season causing more stuff to enter our already stuffed lives.

I'm REALLY looking forward to Christmas as a chance to get the gifts currently taking up space in my tiny home off the premises and into the recipients' hands. I also popped out yestereve and delivered a card and a gift to a pal's home, so one thing less in the flat. I have concentrated on consumable items for older relatives who have homes stuffed with stuff and need more clutter like the need a hole in the head. These kinds of gifts have been well-received in previous years, too.

A few months ago I mentioned on here that I'd consolidated several rolls of identical Xmas wrapping paper into one super-roll by winding them all around one core, and then using two of the redundant cardboard cores (slit open top to bottom) to go around the outside to stop the paper tearing. With a couple of elastic bands to hold them closed.

This is working really well for me. I will also sling the roll into my bag when going over to the folks' on the bus as I have some stuff at their end which will need wrapping on Xmas eve.

I won't get thru this super-roll this year but when I do eventually run out of paper, I'm thinking of getting a plain paper in silver or gold which would be appropriate for both Christmas and other gifts. My home is so silly-small that any little gains in space have to be welcomed.

Anyone else do this? I got it off a decluttering website and thought What a good idea.

whitewing

I find kitchen foil great to use for wrapping, with ribbon around it. It shines beautifully under the tree. However, some people think it is really cheapskate and grumble about it so just bear in mind the recipient. It's great if there are a lot of presents for children as they can ball the foil up and have a small foil fight as they unwrap it, until the excitement gets too much. And it can be popped into recycling afterwards.


A lot of recycling needs to go out today. We have lots of small tasks to do today and it feels overwhelming.

calicocat

Hello people!

I have been MIA as wasn't really doing any de-cluttering plus busy doing other things.

Hope everyone is fine-and-dandy and at least half ready for xmas???

Actually this is why I am here...xmas. House has got a bit untidy and need to post here so I get it organised. I have had an Op recently, but to be fair it started before that so that can't be used as an excuse.

The problem areas are bathroom, kitchen, pink room still (but not that important right now) and the dining room (!!).

Bathroom has had other things collected and things dumped and not put away.
Dining room has other collected things, xmas card,xmas stuff and boxes,paperwork,and various other stuff just dumped there.
Kitchen....just general mess but not too bad...have a few appliances in the way and lots of food stuffs to sort as looks messy.

The spare room where mum will be staying is fine (always keep door shut and don't go in it to keep it tidy) and have just dusted and hoovered etc. My bedroom is ok and not too bad to sort as have made huge efforts to keep doing this every week.


SO.....i shall post my plan so that it hopefully works.

Today.
Cleaned bedroom windows and dusted, taken bedspread and cushion covers off and now in wash....will hoovered sunday so it's more last minute.
Cleaned dusted and hoovered conservatory , also wiped dowm leather sofa, and will not allow Asbo cat in from now to keep clean and tidy.

Still need to do today.....

Tidy bathroom of junk, dust and clean. Also clean floor. Wash some towels and bath mat etc....shouldn't take too long...provided I stick at it and stop having coffee breaks and watching food programmes.

Clear out and wash fridge and organise stuff needs to be frozen.

This evening....start on dining room....exact plan or where to start not clear in my head yet...and flipping recycle bin is full as haven't put it out for ages as forget it...will have to squash stuff down.

Also make some mince pies if I have the energy.

Will post back with progress.

Good luck to folks hard at it today...

calicocat

Bathroom done other than floor. De-cluttered /richarded lots of t.roll insides, dressing wrappers,hair bobbles, old finished pots of things, perfume bottle boxes,earings and other jewellery, clip-on doves from wedding last weekend,used tealights, and other bits of junk.

Fridge done....had a freak-out as thought I saw a spider...but was bit of a tomato.....lol. Old cheeses,yoghurt,veg,fruit and herbs de-cluttered. I don't normally have fridge waste, but have got a bit unorganised since the move.

Stock in SC sorted.

Plan slightly revised...will have a go at kitchen as a whole now putting things away that are out, as that feels more chaotic than dining room...it isn't, but for some reason feels it and i'm anxious that is sorted and clean over the other room.

More washing to do, and de-clutter tights and leggings that are no longer of use as holes in them....takes forever to find a decent pair as don't throw useless ones out.

Not doing too bad so far I think...starting to see the wood for the trees.

whitewing

One of the loveliest things about being a hoarderish type is that you feel suchion some deep emotions sometimes. I was thinking about this at a pantomime the other day and today when I was watching a Christmas film on the TV. I still enjoy the magic of the moment immensely (when I allow myself to take a minute) and maybe I enjoy it a little more deeply than others, even if that's in my own way. But I don't have to have the physical things to try to hold that moment. I don't need to keep the panto ticket or buy a replica Aladdin's lamp, or need the DVD because I trust that good things will come in to my life in the future too.


SH bought some drawing pins so the Christmas cards are hanging along the wall - not as many these days as we used to have but I still love sending and receiving them.


Have put the dry clothes away, and also receipts etc. Shredded some personal paperwork.


I need to put more washing in and hang up the wet stuff, but am generally having a do nothing day.


Oh and the recycling went out too so I am pleased about that.

calicocat

De-richarding of kitchen yesterday.


2 boxes. 11 egg boxes(were being kept for work for easter), 6 of those boxes that house washing liquid blobs just in case they came in handy, pile of newspapers (just laziness not kept for anything) , pieces of paper and receipts stuffed into peg bag.

I have quite a few Yankee candle jars...but have kept them...cant part with them just yet as may find a use for them....and I LIKE them...anyone else keep those.

Appliances put away and bags put into bag bag.

Then got distracted by making mince pies so didn't end up doing anything in the dining room.


Today's plan.

Attack dining room and sort paperwork....THROW OUT what isn't needed, put xmas decs boxes away, put tools and stuff into tool box and put into shed as shouldn't need this over next few days.
FILE paperwork being kept. Dust room and hoover it.

Put another load of washing in.

Change bed if I can due to one arm being semi out of action, and do that washing too.

Hoover kitchen and de-richard any dust floating about still on the floor as generally have door open all the time.


If I get time have a look at the pink room...just moving stuff around and making it look tidier really as right now everything spread out and you can't see much carpet.

Not sure as yet in what order, now off for a coffee to wait for arm pain to go before I get stuck in again.


A friend of mine who i've mentioned on these threads before has it really bad and has kept Everything for years. She won't come on here which I think would help, and won't get a company in to help clear just a couple of rooms.

Her husband has come home(works away), and daughter has landed back home with 3 more cats to add to the ones she has already collected and it all seems to be spiralling out of control with arguments and fighting amongst them all.

She is phoning in tears a lot recently, i'm not sure if this is due to the time of year and more pressure for things to organised etc or if things are really getting to some kind of huge breaking point...but she is sounding much more fed up,despondent, like she's almost given up with it all. I'm quite worried about her as things seem to have taken a different shift if that makes sense...I have known her for years and so i'm used to her talking about it, and somehow there is something different.

Very difficult as there's nothing I can think of to do as at the moment I doubt she would let me in the house even. All suggestions have a barrier or reason they won't work, and the family dynamics sound terrible.

Not sure why I posted that really...just letting off a bit of steam I guess to people who understand.

ginnyknit

Calico, you are doing well hunny, slowly but surely and Im sure you must have made a bit of a space in the kitchen which will spur you on. Your friend is either going to have a lightbulb moment or end up living alone - its upto her now to decide if she loves her chaos or her partner more.

GQ I know what you mean about looking forward to giving the gifts out - its good to have the space back. I have actually found 3 gifts I had tucked away for Dd so anothe couple of bits to be moved on :j

Trying to dry washing but its slow going so popping them in the tumbly thing for 10 minutes to move things on a bit. I have to balance the need with the cost and at the mo its necessary. have DD's curtains pinned ready to sew then thats 2 big bundles of curtains and a big bag of header tape gone.

I am so glad I joined the thread as more is going out than coming in and when I write it down on here I can see I am moving forward with plan b :T

calicocat

I'll tell you what, since doing these threads i'm getting good at it.

Dining room sorted of stuff..!!, all things put away where they should go, all paperwork out (had to jump into recycle bin to make more room and squish stuff down) and in bin or the files it should be in.
Just need to dust and hoover now.

Will do that after next tea-break and have some time now so may dress the table for a family meal monday , throw a sheet over it and shut the room off so it keeps cat out and me from messing around with things.

When I first started in the original thread it would have taken me hours, I would have been fannying around reading everything or looking at stuff, get side tracked by the photo frames and been fiddling about with photos instead of just getting on with it.


Next is to just clean up the kitchen a bit, after that it's a toss up as to whether to brave the food shops or to do all floors then only need to flick over them monday again with a bit of luck.

Ginnyknit.....it isn't as simple as that to be honest, she has many issues that she can't or won't face, violence has been involved and still is, police, missing persons etc, she is emotionally entrenched with a 'home' she hates (and husband) . She is (I think) however terrified of being on her own. She clings onto everything not just books and 'stuff'. I have been waiting for the light bulb moment for years and it doesn't appear to be on the horizon. I have had police involvement when people can't find her. A total mess...but if truth be told, I do think that the hoarding exacerbates it and if she could sort out one area, others would follow......but that's chicken and egg.


Anyhow, I shall be off and do the kitchen I think next.