Hoarding - Springing Ahead

whitewing

Happy Mothering Sunday!

I have a lovely card from DD and DS. I am going to bake a cake for my mother today. As welll as being enjoyed, this will use up a heap of chocolate that we got given recently. I have lost 9 kg in the last few weeks, since I have been exercising at home, so I want to try and keep this up.

ETA: Cake is made and has turned out really well. We're having brunch now and the cake/card will go later, along with a gift tag and some jazzy packaging from a recent birthday.

Washing is nearly ready to go on the line. DS will take recycling out. That'll probably be it for today.

ETA again: I was at my friend's house yesterday admiring the spring blooms in her garden, when she sprang up and picked me a bunch to take home. They are on the table and look wonderful. Anyone care to join me on a flower diet - when I feel down and want a treat, I am going to get flowers instead of chocolate, cakes or wine.

MessyMare

Hullo

I have been lurking and nodding along for a little while now.

My parents are borderline hoarders (moving into being less border and more hoarder though) and I have picked up the habit. The house I live in looks relatively tidy... Purely because most of the things I own are at my parents' house. My parents have two spare rooms crammed full that they can barely get in to, a crammed garage and shed. I also have been recently diagnosed with OCD and often find myself overwhelmed into inaction...

I woke up recently when I realised I wasn't doing the things I love, because I don't have the space to do them. So I went up to my office and gradually cleared the space culminating in a massive fling/chazzer shop donation weekend, and now I have the space. Next project: parents' house.

I have been there for two weekends now chiseling away at it. Only my stuff mind, I wouldn't want anyone else flinging my stuff so I wouldn't touch anyone else's... My boyfriend frequently 'jokes' that he will hire a skip and throw it all away and I don't think he realises how distressing I find that. Having said that, I have caught him fishing things that I have thrown away out of the bin!

I have started to give my parents only consumable presents, the mahoosive Vicky sponge I made for mumsie's day went down well. Mum sent me a text the other day telling me that I had inspired her and she had started to let go of things too

I think we're on the verge of a breakthrough

Anyway, best I slip back into lurkerdom!

Patchwork_Quilt

Welcome MessyMare and congratulations! Keep up the momentum. You do sound as if you have made a breakthrough and this is a great place to share the highs and lows.

Grey Queen, I had a chest freezer several houses ago and when we put our house up for sale, I started to run it down. Took me three months! I vowed never to have another one and have stuck to my word. The under counter one I have at the moment is just big enough but it will have to do.

And I agree with the comments about stuff having a finite life. This is one of the main reasons I cite when trying to persuade family members to part with things - someone else could be reading that, using that etc. When clearing out Mum's old house, as I've said before, we came across things that had been shut away for 50 years. Such a shame.

Pity I have the same tendencies!

In other news, I managed to throw away a body butter tub without washing it out and keeping it because it was useful. I also went to 0xfam with a bag of rags and books and didn't look to either side as I put it by the stockroom door. Straight in and out. However, I am dithering over a nice biscuit tin... I don't need a biscuit tin, do I?

DH has just asked me why I find this thread so fascinating. He thinks it's funny. He thinks I am actually in danger of being an anti-hoarder and throwing too much away but with DM and both brothers collecting useful stuff by the minute, I think I need to fight very hard against it.

whitewing

I love this thread - it prompts me to think about a lot of different things.

A pair of shoes with worn-down heels has gone in recycling. They are too dangerous to wear without being reheeled. I have other shoes, but am a bit worried that as I lose weight, they wont fit. I decided not to be worried but to celebrate with a new pair if I get to that happy time.

My brother popped in to see us today. He has longterm problems (a lot of his own making and a lot that stem from parents). He is a lovely person but I felt the anxiety go up massively as he talked to me. And I worry about DS picking up some of his viewpoints of the world. It is hard to counteract. There is an issue that brother and I disagree on totally that affects DS. I was feeling discouraged, but speaking to DS afterwards, he has agreed to get some advice from a professional friend of mine. I cannot tell you what a relief this is!

All the washing dried on the line today and has been put away so that has been a bonus.

mcculloch29

Fell asleep between 9.30 and 12 so now awake. DD visited and a small pile of books for her and DGC went home with her, as well as a hair styling kit for DD and DGD and a large remote control car for DGS.

Great to have the books gone, I had kept them near to my riser recliner as I didn't want to mislay them on bookshelves. I can see that more stuff needs to go places though.. most weeks I can barely shift the recycling bin if DS forgets to put it out!

ginnyknit

Had an epiphany last night, so a huge bag of yarn will be finding its way onto freecycle this week and a box of crafty bits and bobs. I have kept all bits of yarn intending to use them up but this will never happen so they will be set free. I have too much stuff to be able to just sit and make things because the clutter gets in the way. Phew..... light bulb moment for me.....

Left hand side of the sink is being kept clutter free at last and the drainer is cleared everynight.

Long way to go but definately big steps :j

I think the idea of consumable gifts is the way to go when dealing with family members who also hoard. I bought Mum diabetic sweeties for Mothers day and the kids bought me garden things and choccies so they are all in place (except for the choccies which I ration )

whitewing

I would say consumable gifts or gifts that they choose themselves. After all, no one actually asks for 27 pairs of knickers!

Could I also ban ornament gift-giving? I don't think I've ever bought myself an ornament, even though I have seen beautiful ones, because we are given so many that we get rid of now that it feels really bad to buy ourselves something we'd like.

mcculloch29

My daughter gave me chocolate, top notch hand cream (one with urea) and CHILLI PLANTS for Mother's Day! WOOHOO! All consumable.
She is such a star, I had expressed the wish for chilli plants the day before, but had no idea that they were in on offer at the supermarket she works for. So even though she had no time to shop, I got something I wanted.

Florenceem

I got a scarf which I love and will wear. Also sweeties - won't hoard them!
Youngest Grandchild got me a pink bell - written on it - Ring For Tea - have to keep that. Apparently he chooses the present - I almost got plastic play food!
Last year - he got me an ornament - that has pride of place on the windowsill - he looks for it every time he comes here.

VJsmum

I ban those dreadful "mothers day" compilation CDs. I got "a girl called jack" cook book and a CD (elbow). They were exactly what I wanted, and to make sure I chose them and gave them to OH. For the kids to surprise me with