Hoarding - Springing Ahead

Catriona_P

GreyQueen wrote: »

I was laughing at myself yesterday about my Tesco bag for life. First off, have you noticed that what they're giving out as bags-for-life these days (all stores) aren't a patch on the older ones? As in much thinner and less strong. So this caused me to hang on to the older ones because the newer ones wouldn't be nearly as good.

This mean I'm harbouring a Tesco bag-for-life with one broken handle. Because it's stronger than the newer ones. Even though it doesn't effectively function as a bag any more.......this is lunacy.

I'd noticed this too! And yes I've also been guilty of holding onto bags for life with one broken handle, you're not alone

Had my exam last week so now that's done with I can get back to the important business of decluttering. Finally found a charity able to take daughter's old baby clothes so I just need to sort through them. We're having work done on the dining room at the moment, I've had to move everything from that room to other places in the house so things are very cramped right now - however clearing the room was not as stressful as it has been in the past as there isn't much hoarding going on in that room anymore. Think I'm making progress!

I have also been decluttering the Sky+ box with all the programs I've been recording but havn't been able to watch due to my revision.

greenbee

Great progress Ames! Keep on coming back here with updates and hopefully that will keep you motivated.

Using the carrier bags is a great idea - and only half filling them is fine, as it gets more of them out of the flat, which in turn creates more space When you run out of carriers we'll help you come up with some alternatives. In the meantime, don't waste money on binbags while you have carriers you can use.

ginnyknit

I have noticed a trend on here this last few days. Things like ' I can hoover the floor more easily now I have de-cluttered' 'I have a solution to the bag problem' ' I have space to move things around as I sort' ' my dining table is clear' :j:j:jThis means we are succeeding in our plans for our new lives. Long may it continue

Every little space we gain back is a huge hurdle. Im off to parcel up some charity stuff for posting so I can get it in the post tomorrow and I can clearly see my adress book on the tidy shelves so no wasted time hunting it down.....bliss... Biggest thing Ds is moving the rest of his stuff out on Friday and Saturday so the shelves in the spare room will be empty for me to move all my craft stuff. Plus more things from the kitchen will be going to his flat too. Right off to vacuum the living room and do that parcel. xxxx

whitewing

I did a quick load of washing and put it out this morning.

I am struggling in the evenings when I get back from work. It's so cold I don't want to get moving. I am arguing with DH about whether to buy a dehumidifier. I think it will make it feel warmer as the air won't be so wet. He doesn't think it will make any difference. I don't care if it makes just a psychological difference.

I think I may have to set a timer this evening and do a few 15 minute sessions. I feel better when I am getting something long term extra done at home.

Ames

Today's been a pretty bad day. As expected texts and emails have been flying round between family, support workers and solicitor. Worst was dad saying he wont 'talk to my daughter through a third party'. Well, in this case I'm not his daughter, I'm Estate Administrator (following mum's death three years ago), and it's either talk to me through a third party or not at all. I've even ended up unplugging the landline.

As a result I had a long nap this afternoon to get away from it all and not done much decluttering. I've chucked out one bag of rubbish from the bathroom, along with one of the three bathroom bins (one of the others is going in the hallway for me to dump junk mail straight away instead of bringing it into the lounge, putting it down and finding it a year later). Next time I'm going past I'm going to chuck a few bin bags in there so that I can do a bit everytime I'm in there.

I have done quite a lot of mulling over reasons that I hoard, what triggered it to get so bad etc. Which I think is as important as doing the actual tidying, because otherwise I'll work hard and have to go through it all again in a couple of years, as has been the case before.

So, today's total:

In: Pizza hut takeaway (yes, I've binged too - but nowhere near as much as in the past) and the boxes WILL be thrown away when they're empty instead of left for the cleaning fairies who always skip my house as too much trouble...

Out: One bin bag and a bin.

Running total out: four bin bags, a bin, and two bags to CS.

Oops, nearly forgot: I've also started decluttering my wannabe writer works in progress. I've typed up another chapter of the children's book I'm writing, and I'm about to do more. I have lots of 'first draft nearly finished' projects. I'm scared to actually finish any because then it'll be time to hold them up to scrutiny and send them into the wide world to try and get publised. Which is scary. I'm determined to get at least this novel and a tv series finished this year.

Ames

Whitewing, I'm so with you about the cold. I find the 15 minute (well, I do 10 minutes) thing works really well. Not only because I'm thinking 'it's only a few more minutes', but I find that the amount I can actually get done in such a small amount of time is pleasantly surprising. But on the other hand, as it's 'only' ten minutes then I don't feel that I could be doing anything better. It's not like settling down to a two hour stint, where you think 'oh, that's the length of a film', or 'I could go to the shops and have a good browse' or whatever.

ginnyknit

I have sorted all the junk that gets dropped in the washing basket next to the washer and tidied behind it too. Now its full of dirty washing :j as it should be :j feel like I have really conquered something today.

Ames if you line the bin in the hall with one bin liner inside the other you can fill it, then slide out the full one leaving the empty one ready to go - makes you feel organised and no having to look for another bag. You have done something hunny, another step along the way, despite all the hassle you have had, you carried on - well done!

Ames

Brilliant idea about the bags in bags in bin! It'll also mean I don't have to buy a new roll of bin bags every time I empty a bin, because I've used one and put the rest of the roll somewhere...

GreyQueen

Catriona_P wrote: »

I'd noticed this too! And yes I've also been guilty of holding onto bags for life with one broken handle, you're not alone

This thread is fabulous; I am not alone in the world with my foibles. You can't begin to know what a comfort that is.

Today I went to work, came in for 30 mins and then went out to archery club, came in again via the yellow label section, made supper from stuff already in the fridge and then washed up right after. It's easy when the kitchen isn't a heaving pit to start with, isn't it?

This morning, I noticed that when I'd been re-arranging the undersink cupboard, which was at least a week ago, possibly more like two weeks ago, I'd somehow left a spray-gun bottle of a stain treatment product on the side of the counter, where it had become invisible due to the other carp, which is substantially gone, and thus it had re-appeared as if by magic.

I was about to put it back in the cupboard when I had A Thought. Which was; I had this at the previous flat which means it's over 10 years old. The last couple of times I used it, it didn't do the job and I ended up using something else instead. It's obviously lost its stain-treatment ooomph and it isn't going to miraculously recover it. So why the heck am I trying to shoe-horn it into an already full cupboard?!

The squirty bottle trigger bit was binned and is off the premises because I didn't trust myself not to try and re-purpose it for the home-made laundry products I could use from MSE recipes (I don't do this) or to make a mister for the foliage of the houseplants I don't have, but might acquire, presumably after acquiring a home with more room, or windowsills wider than 3 inches, which is all I have now.

Ridiculous, isn't it? But it was all so feasible that I had to get that thingy out to the bins before it got 'sticky' and couldn't be jettisoned. The rest of the bottle is rinsed and in the recycling bag.

Righty, time for a little tidy around and a last patrol in the kitchen to make sure nothing has escaped or gone manky and then a bit of reading and off to bed.

Sweet and clutter-free dreams, one and all. GQ xx

ETA Ames, depending on your bin, it may be possible to have the roll of bin bags in the bottom, keep the one in use attached but opened out, then when you lift it out, it drags the new one up and ready to be re-opened. Voila, you can't lose the bin bag roll.

I often find it helpful to keep the replacement thingy right beside the thingy being used up, then I can see what I have and know where to drop my hands on it.

Money_maker

Just delurking for a bit to cheer you all on, particularly Ames who is making steady progress despite what life is throwing at her.

I am a hoarder. Have no emotional issues from childhood, just an unnatural attachment to 'stuff' and cupboards filled with things I dont use so there's no room to store things I do use. I know that you know what I mean. My motivation is to want to invite DD's friends and mine around. Not to have to block the door so people cant see in. I want to be MINIMALIST :rotfl: fat chance