Hoarding - Springing Ahead

roundtuit

Hi noel & GQ xx


noel - oh yes wouldn't it be good to say 'come over for a coffee sometime' - I never say it in case someone takes me up on it. Very isolating.


GQ - that's how I used to activate emotions - but now a simple click doesn't work. Maybe DS changed something on the lappy while he was home.
And the letter regarding the home check says they'll want access to every part of the property inside and out - plus proof of my ID. Having just had an energy survey by the council which involved access to every part of the house, including photos of all appliances including lightbulbs!!, it all seems very intrusive. Having said that if the house looked the way I would like it too I'd be saying 'bring it on'- I'm not doing anything illegal I just live in squalor.


Anyway back to business


Done Step 1 plus replaced bin bags; emptied bird seed into container and binned bag; cleaned sink - not to flylady standard but at least you can tell it's stainless steel!; cleaned bottom of bowl, as it seemed daft to put a skanky bowl in a clean sink; put first load of washing in WM; binned random old toothbrush - have another I can use for more intricate cleaning when I reach that stage; rinsed and recycled 6 plastic 2L bottles and 9 cola cans. Oh and loaded the bowl with pots.


So Step 2 is
wash bowl of pots
empty WM & reload
recycle 6 items


- am going to hit a problem here as I haven't been putting the bins/boxes out to be emptied - must have been very low - so they're nearly full. Good job I'm a dab hand at Tetris :rotfl:


Rx

ginnyknit

Roundtuit, great start hunny, you are now on a journey and the destination is a happier place than you are now. If you get the re-cycling emptied it will encourage you no end so what day do the bin men come? We will spur you on you the day before if you want :T:T Its very satisfying to see some changes - I am at the beginning of the journey but a few steps ahead of you and am now feeling different about things and much better in myself. I cannot wait to hear you tell us about your progress so take your time and keep posting.

The Christmas tablecloth is in the wash :j and the table is maybe half full of stuff but will be clear today as Dgs will want to draw.

noelphobic

ginnyknit wrote: »

The Christmas tablecloth is in the wash :j and the table is maybe half full of stuff but will be clear today as Dgs will want to draw.

I think my tablecloth from 2012 is still on the table. :eek:

roundtuit

hi ginnyknit xx and thank you for the encouragement. Binmen come on Tuesdays and on 14th they'll empty general waste plus paper box plus glass/cans box. They won't empty plastic/ cardboard bin until 21st and it is now up to top and squished down...daren't squish too hard in case it impacts, 'cause if it's stuck the binmen leave it.


I still have plastic bottles to deal with in the kitchen - however I have a plan As I rinse and recycle further plastic and cardboard I'm going to put it in carrier bags and ask DS's dad to put it in their recycling bin. That way it'll be out of the house and gone. :T


Step 2 done plus 1st WM load now drying on radiators - well it will be when the heating comes on, tis mild here but damp...my slippers are soggy from repeat trips to the bins - so I've left them at the door! They'll dry. I rinsed and recycled 1 extra plastic bottle 'cause it was left on it's own and wanted to go with it's mates into the bin. And, yes I am slightly nuts, but harmless enough


Step 3
dry 1st lot of pots
rinse & recycle 6 plastic bottles
put lappy on charge as battery is dying


and have a cuppa coffee methinks.


See you later


Rxx

GreyQueen

Well, I've been doing a mixture of chores and internetting since 8 am, and have one washload on the rack and a dish-drainer full of washed dishes. Went to put something in the airing cupboard and one of the small items threw itself from a high shelf at my feet (kamikaze face flannel, lol) thus demonstrating that there is a need for it and its small fiddly brethren to be corralled into drawstring bags to stop them becoming unruly and attempting to escape.

Life is too short to keep re-tidying piles of small textiles, don't you think? And I am under pledge (or perhaps under Pledge) not to buy any more and use up what I have. Twenny years should just about do it, I reckon.

Going to have a bit of lunch (creative use of a leftover involved) and then head up to the lottie to play in the dirt.

Have decided that before the weekend is out I must have a grand reconciliation of Mount Tuppermore as lids and bases have got all over the place in the kitch, in cupboards and out cupboards, and I'm struggling to find a complete wotsit for my packups.

Boy, that'll be a fun gig - not!

I have managed to ditch the packaging from my impromtu gift last night, even though it included tissue paper. I screwed it up really tightly so I won't be tempted to retrieve it. I know it's iron-able, gawdelpme, so trying not to pull it back out again.

I will try to steel myself to take some of the couch grass mountain from the lottie to the green waste section at the tip. By pushbike, so not the easiest thing to do, but I'll never be able to get that lot dried out enough to burn by the end of March, which is the last point you're supposed to burn things up there before autumn.

Hokay, onwards, outwards and upwards, my lovelies. Table's still clear and I can even see the floor and (most of) the sofa. GQ xx

roundtuit

oooh good - more tales of the lottie....I love reading about your adventures up / down there GQ


Step 3 done - 2 plates and 2 dishes belonging to a friend were in the pots dried, so I've put them to one side to deliver this afti. I've also arranged to use friend's recycling bin, so I'm taking over my 8 ( as in 2 more than 6 planned :T )plastics this afti too. 1 can was found hiding so that's been rinsed and recycled too. 2nd lot of washing is on airer and 3rd load in WM. I have BINNED (yes, really, truly) a hand wash and hand lotion of unknown age which have been loitering on the kitchen windowsill. I'm not going to use them and they're too splashed and aged to pass on to anyone... I know cause I tried to clean them up ,,,,:whistle:. I've taken new soap and bottle of bleach up to bathroom - and bleached loo & changed towel and facecloth while I was up there, and brought down 3 random carrier bags from DS' bedroom.


I'm having coffee and cake with another friend this afti - so I have put two books, that I've recently read and I know she'll enjoy, into a small carrier bag and placed the bag on the door handle so I don't forget to take them. Said friend will them pass them on to others, so they'll be gone. :T


Got time for a Step 4 before I get ready to go meet friend


so Step 4 is
empty WM
strip DS bed
empty DS bedroom bin.


Be back later. Have a good afternoon everyone


Rxx

Patchwork_Quilt

GQ you could put the couch grass in water to soak/rot if you can't burn it. Eventually, it will become inactive.

Into new 0xfam mountain, five small cushions I never really liked. I just bought them because they went with the colour scheme but they always seemed a bit inadequate.

There are seven more cushions waiting in the blanket box upstairs in case we need them! Hmm.

The extra plates will also go in the new mountain when I can get to them. DH is working in there at the moment, poor thing.

Also decluttering a chocolate cake to MIL this afternoon. Why do I keep making these things?

Welcome Roundtuit, and a friendly wave to all other lurkers.

lil_me

Ok I need to do something

This week uncovered tuna (BBD April 2013) peaches (BBD June 2011 and a few others) and more

I have major major hoarding issues with food mainly after being so flat broke I couldn't afford any, especially when money is really tight I get worse, I spend any we do have ASAP so I know it can't be spent elsewhere. That's after other experiences of people taking what's left and spending on other things

Cleaning stuff one is better but not great, I found over 170 dishwasher tablets yesterday and I nearly bought some on Wednesday but resisted. Cosmetics and stuff likewise. The list is endless. There is a lot of clothes we've not fitted for years too. Kitchen stuff, broken things, mountains of just 'stuff' oh dear. I have 4 freezers inc the smaller above fridge one, 2 small under bench, one 6ft one, always full, always got too much to fit in it.

Don't know where to start but here seems a good idea

noelphobic

My joiner's been and done a couple of jobs. Coming back sometime soon to do the rest - he is someone I've used a few times so I don't need to worry that he'll disappear into the sunset never to be seen again, because he's so traumatised by the state of my house! :rotfl:


The spare room door has now been fixed and I can actually close it properly for the first time in ages. I'm trying not to do that because once I close the door on the mess it will be out of sight, out of mind! One of the reasons why I am resisting putting stuff in the loft without a good reason, purely to get it out of the way. I know it would never see the light of day again! The mess in the spare room is very organised though (for me) as I had a massive dejunk in there in the summer and the rest of the stuff is boxed up. It still needs sifting through and sorting into like for like, although a lot of it is already. My son's tent is in there which he wants to keep. He doesn't live her any more so I've told him he either has to take it to his flat or put it in my loft - win, win, as I suspect he will want to leave it here and we can get some other stuff in the loft while he's here.


The hinge on the bathroom cabinet door is now fixed so I can now use it properly again - it is mirrored and I was terrified that it would break. Don't EVER buy anything from Victoria Plumb, one of the worst companies I have ever dealt with!


The curtain pole that was hanging by a thread has now been fixed so I can open and close the curtains without worrying about it coming off the wall. I managed to get a few bits and pieces done while waiting for him to come. Threw a few small random bits and pieces in the wheely bin and got rid of a cardboard box - resisting the voice in my head that said it was a good strong box and would come in handy one day!


I've put some tea towels in the wash but am intending to put the worst of them in the recycling when they're washed and dried. I'm still struggling to get organised as far as bed linen, towels and tea towels are concerned, after facing the horror aka the airing cupboard a few days ago. I did get rid of a few bits and pieces but need to go through it all again, put like with like, and see if there's anything else to get rid of. I have drawers under my bed that are pretty much empty so a lot of it can go in there. Resisting the temptation to just shove it all in there without sifting through it properly and putting it in some kind of order.

noelphobic

lil_me wrote: »

Ok I need to do something

This week uncovered tuna (BBD April 2013) peaches (BBD June 2011 and a few others) and more

I have major major hoarding issues with food mainly after being so flat broke I couldn't afford any, especially when money is really tight I get worse, I spend any we do have ASAP so I know it can't be spent elsewhere. That's after other experiences of people taking what's left and spending on other things

Cleaning stuff one is better but not great, I found over 170 dishwasher tablets yesterday and I nearly bought some on Wednesday but resisted. Cosmetics and stuff likewise. The list is endless. There is a lot of clothes we've not fitted for years too. Kitchen stuff, broken things, mountains of just 'stuff' oh dear. I have 4 freezers inc the smaller above fridge one, 2 small under bench, one 6ft one, always full, always got too much to fit in it.

Don't know where to start but here seems a good idea

Welcome to our world - you've come to the right place! I did used to hoard food but I seem to have cured myself of it. Not sure how, don't remember any lightbulb moments, but definitely have less food and it is all in date.


I also have almost cured my habit of hoarding cleaning products (and not actually using them!) I do presently have well over 100 dishwasher tablets but they were on a really brilliant deal at Sainsburys. They are Finish ones but I think they must have been discontinuing that particular pack size so they were ridiculously cheap. I have got them all stored together and have resisted several other good offers on dishwasher tablets.


Have you looked at the 'no buying unnecessary toiletries' thread? Very supportive, just like this one. I have recently completed a (very long) inventory of my stash and it is helping me to not buy anything unless I really need it - although I am frequently tempted!