Hoarding - Springing Ahead

roundtuit

GreyQueen wrote: »

Three empty kitchen base unit cupboards. OMG, is it very wrong to be green with envy? I don't have that many full stop, but to have some standing empty would be a dream

Good luck for this afternoon, we're rooting for you, lass.

Thank you xx
I like empty cupboards - they have so much potential :rotfl:. When I do put things in cupboards they have to be 'just so', right way round, labels forward, serried ranks etc. When I watched the film 'Sleeping With The Enemy' I couldn't see what was wrong with the guy ..... until he started to try and murder her. If you messed with my cupboards I'd tut and put them right but I would physically harm you! I think I have closet OCD - pun intended and not intended (if that's possible :rotfl:)
I've cleaned out Charlie - my budgie - he said he felt as though he was living in a slum compared to my 'palace', now he has floor too.
I've also washed the pots; cleaned the interior of the microwave oven _pale_; and slung a 2009 diary - cover binned, pages recycled - nothing personal in it.
Rxx

roundtuit

greenbee wrote: »

Keep dropping and and posting progress, it is so lovely to hear someone reclaiming their home.

Thank you xx
As a 'recovering hoarder' I hope I'll always be a member of the 'gang' who helped me on the journey....which is still very much a work in progress.
It will be really nice to encourage people who are starting their journey behind me - as you have encouraged me.
Rxx

GreyQueen

I get that.

My tins are lined up by type, with the labels facing the same way. My knives on the magnetic wall rack have to be in size order, smallest to the far left. My linen cupboard has to have the hand towels in one place and the bath towels in another. My sewing threads are sorted by colour.

I like to be able to drop my hands on my belongings just so. I get very frustrated and stressed if I have to waste time grubbling around for things. Grubbling time is unproductive time, IMO. Or time I could have spent with my nose in a book.;)

Carpenter's been and gone now. Have popped out for an errand and am fixing a bit of early lunch. If the weather continues dry (and it's looking a bit unsettled) I shall nip up to the allotment and plant some more broad beans.

From the seed stash. So that counts as decluttering, yes?

Towser

I just don't want to throw it away that's why I am a hoarder! I need to to avoid divorce lol. I have a whole house full of stuff.

What is the best way?

Carboot? Only once a week, sometimes people just don't buy and £8 cover charge.

Ebay? Takes ages to do a load of stuff and high charges.

Have a jumble sale in a village hall? £15 on hire of hall, £50 on advert van to cart it all there and need a load of people.

Garage sale? Low footfall of people. £50 on advert

Are there other ways?

What would you do? I just need to get rid of stuff or should I somehow get over it and give it all away to charity, freecycle ect. as it will be a load off my mind.

Florenceem

I have 2 bedrooms of stuff that I want to condense into 1 storage room - reading that - why do I want a storage room? I have so much yarn/fabric/crafting bits - that's why. :eek: Crafting is my hobby and I am retired.
The old chap on - "can't stop - won't stop hoarding" - seemed to have a lot of junk. My stuff isn't old newspapers/TVs/bits of foam.
The rest of my house is uncluttered and clean/tidy - well apart from the garage of doom - blame Mr F for that.
Am I justifying myself?
I have just been sorting out in one of the bedrooms - started a charity bag of stuff. I moved everything around when the workmen were here renovating the house. It helped me see how much stuff I have.
As MR F says - you didn't get so much stuff in a short time so getting it sorted/used/rid of - will take a while.

meg72

I was in the same boat and like you just wanted rid of it I packed it boxes and phoned The British Heart Foundation who came and collected it. but I found it a hard thing to do and found myself taking things back out of the boxes. Once it had gone though I felt really good about it and am planning another blitz soon when I will be a bit more ruthless,
I hope

maman

I was going to suggest charity shops too. Many take furniture items as well as the usual clothes and bric a brac.


As it's becoming a bit harder to give actual cash to charities, I'm happy to donate to the shops and do my bit for recycling at the same time.

sillyme673

Hi been reading the thread and it is so true that mood plays a large part in letting go of stuff. When my OCD was bad I struggled too let go of rubbish. Now feeling alot better am giving the CS alot of stuff.
At mo the worst bit about giving to CS is feeling guilty that I dont earn enough to gift aid it:o
Once is gone feel lots better.
Good luck everybody:j

GreyQueen

Florenceem wrote: »

I have 2 bedrooms of stuff that I want to condense into 1 storage room - reading that - why do I want a storage room? I have so much yarn/fabric/crafting bits - that's why. :eek: Crafting is my hobby and I am retired.
The old chap on - "can't stop - won't stop hoarding" - seemed to have a lot of junk. My stuff isn't old newspapers/TVs/bits of foam.
The rest of my house is uncluttered and clean/tidy - well apart from the garage of doom - blame Mr F for that.
Am I justifying myself?
I have just been sorting out in one of the bedrooms - started a charity bag of stuff. I moved everything around when the workmen were here renovating the house. It helped me see how much stuff I have.
As MR F says - you didn't get so much stuff in a short time so getting it sorted/used/rid of - will take a while.

I think that the thing about craft, in whatever form(s) a person practices it, is that it requires tools, and a variety of supplies. Sometimes, a project is finished and there are leftover supplies, or there is an opportunity to buy or otherwise receive supplies at silly prices or for free, and it would be crazy not to.

I guess the questions the crafter needs to ask herself are;

Do I still like doing this particular craft? Have I moved on to another and will I ever want to revist this one?

Can I actually see myself using this yarn/ fabric/ whatever or was it a lapse of my current taste?

Can I still do this craft or has a medical condition interferred with my ability? Is that temporary or permanant?

I grinned in recognition when I first heard the term SABLE applied to crafting supplies; Stash Acquired Beyond Lifetime Expectancy. Ouch, how true that one can be.........:rotfl:

If you're supplies still fit your crafts, and you haven't got 50 years of supplies and 25 years of life expectancy, I would say keep it and use it. After all, most people don't become richer in retirement and if you've already bought the supplies, you have invested in your future leisure and pleasure.

Mr F will have to tidy up 'his' garage, though, there's no excusing that.:p

roundtuit

And breathe........
The HO was very pleasant; it helped that she couldn't see what the problem was; I was honest and said there had been a problem, but I was already motivated to sort it before the home check was carried out.
I've agreed to an Action Plan as it was what I was planning on doing anyway; and the HO has asked me to consider working with the HA as a volunteer on a befriender scheme to help people who are struggling to tackle their 'stuff'. She has also offered to supply boxes for taking items to the charity shop, and files for storing paperwork.
I think I did ok; and the best bit?....... showing her around the property and throwing doors open with gay abandon and not a cringe of embarrassment in sight.
I've said it before, and I'll say it again, thank you, thank you, thank you lovely ladies, I couldn't have done it without you xxxxxxxxxxxxx