Hoarding - Springing Ahead

Saver-upper

I am still here .
Work has stopped on the loft for now,but I know I must get back into it.
I would also like to start sorting out the piles and boxes of papers I have spotted around the house.Everyday I tell myself that when the kids have gone to bed I will spend 30 minutes sorting out papers.Then,by the time they are all settled(usually 9pm),I sit down,saying "I will see what me friends on MSE are doing......".Then I really can't get into it .:o

Now it is school holidays:I may be able to get abit or paper sorted because I will be at home with the kids.Or maybe,now it is school holidays,I might not be able to get any paper sorted because I will be home with the kids :rotfl: .

I had afew days off this week,so was able to do a really thorough weekly clean (love having full school days to do nothing except clean and tidy the house).Did a deep-clean of my (tiny) bathroom,and also did alot of decluttering of the tiny box-room that 7- and 5-yo share.Will continue on it tomorrow hopefully,but did get rid of alot,and tidy alot.

In general house looks ok.My partner and kids know I hate mess,and constantly nag them to tidy their rooms/living room,etc.The house does suffer because it is too small for us:it is a constant battle keeping ontop of it.
But I must start on messes like paperwork,and getting back into the loft.

Thank you to all on this thread for the encouragement.

softpad

noelphobic wrote: »

been lurking for a while and not read all of your posts yet. I have had 2 mice infestations and have a massive phobia. Ready to swap tips soon.

Excellent, they are horrible bu**gers. There really is nothing like lying in bed unable to sleep because you can hear mice chewing your skirting boards :eek:

I tried loads of poisons (always have snap traps under the floors baited with peanut butter) and have settled on Proctor Pest Stop as the best one, its a whole wheat bait and they think it's really tasty. The jury is out on the sachets of pasta bait.

whitewing

Chocolate is supposed to be good as mouse bait.

Been up since 6.30. We're trying to get DD out of night nappies, now the weather is slightly better for laundering. We have one dry night then a night of bedwetting. I have washed two sheets, duvet covers and umpteen pajamas already this morning. Any tips anyone? Having a sheet and pillow case stored in the duvet cover is working well for grabbing at 3am!

It eats into dehoarding time and space. I want to get rid of some over 7 year old business records today, if I can pull them out without the more recent stuff falling down. I will burn them I think, just to be sure.

We are now at the stage where the house is mainly tidy and clear, and surfaces are clear most of the time, e.g. the chest of drawers in the bedroom. It is so handy to have them clear for dumping stuff on (e.g dry clothes) to be able to put things away. We also mostly have got into a good habit with making sure the beds are made each day. As well as taking up far less time than I imagine it would, it really helps to have a smooth bed to put things on when we thin out the drawers or wardrobes.

So the visible house is more or less company ready on a daily basis, albeit it some rooms could really do with being redecorated. But there is stuff lurking within the cupboards that needs a good sort through again.

Saver-upper

I have spent abit of time last night and this morning thinking about how to keep ontop of the constant battle with this house.
I am in a small house,with very little storage,4 children,very messy partner (with hoarding tendencies,though he would never admit it.I personally think that any 45yo man who has filled a garage to the ceiling with every Warhammer (and many other fantasy) figure,and associated paraphanalia he has owned since he was 10yo, has a problem,but maybe that is just me .

My aim is to "always" have a tidy house.Some weeks,like last week,I have plenty of time to keep ontop of the house.Other weeks I am working all (school) day,for the whole week,then home with kids (or out with after school activities) so nothing gets done until Sunday,when partner goes out with kids and I [STRIKE]spend too much time on here[/STRIKE] catch up on the house

I find that by the time I have tidied the house,there is no time to do "extra" jobs,like declutter a box from the loft,or a drawer,etc.

I thought about what I would like to do each day to keep ontop of my house:
keep house tidy
spend time each day decluttering paper.Would love to commit to 30 minutes every day
tidy/declutter a specific area (a box from the loft,a toybox,a chest of drawers of clothes,etc)

For example,I mentioned yesterday that afew days ago I had decluttered the Trofast unit of toys in younger children's bedroom.Just doing that has improved the room 100%.Would like today to tidy their very large(almost to the ceiling) bookshelf,and toy shelves.

Just don't know how to motivate myself .I would certainly feel better knowing I had done a little bit of each of these each day.Some days I feel so motivated,other days I really could just walk away.

Right,off to tidy a bookshelf and some toy shelves.........

whitewing

I think a 30 (or 15) minute a day paper declutter would make a tremendous difference in a house of 4 children.

Also, outgrown or too damaged children's clothes being taken out when you do the laundry would help a lot in keeping on top of things.

Doing a little each day, helps to stem the tide of a massive influx because it changes your mindset.

short_bird

Saver-upper wrote: »

I am in a small house,with very little storage,4 children,very messy partner (with hoarding tendencies,though he would never admit it.I personally think that any 45yo man who has filled a garage to the ceiling with every Warhammer (and many other fantasy) figure,and associated paraphanalia he has owned since he was 10yo, has a problem,but maybe that is just me .

Ah. Would it be worth you having a look at this, probably before the partner comes home? It's the episode featuring the chap with 35,000 Star Wars items. The collector did realise that he had a problem as his kids didn't have bedrooms, they just kinda fitted in around the boxes of stuff.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b040407z

lobbyludd

Just don't know how to motivate myself .I would certainly feel better knowing I had done a little bit of each of these each day.Some days I feel so motivated,other days I really could just walk away.

start with 5 mins? grab a pile of paperwork before you sit down to see what MSE is up to and while pages are loading go through them, or in the adverts of a TV show, it will make a difference honest

Saver-upper

Thank you,Short-bird.I will have a look.His carp has been the source of many battles in the 15 years we have been together.

So,I have just finished 2hr 35 minutes of decluttering above-mentioned bookshelves(yes,I did time myself!).Only 5 shelves of a full-sized 6-shelf bookshelf unit(top shelf are my books),but I looked at every book,decided "keep or donate",and have set aside ALOT of books to take to charity.My youngest turned 5 in January,and had started school in September.It is amazing how many books I found that she was "reading" until she started school,now she has clearly outgrown them.After 4 children,and 12 years,I will never need "picture only" books (and pre-school toys,and tiny clothes,and many other things I have thrown out/given away in the last 15 months).It does make me sad......

Am just having a quick lunch now,and watching documentary about the missing flight.Just realised it is 1.5hour documentary,so will use the time while watching to sort papers.

Keep plodding people x

Florenceem

I must get four mirrors upcycled and hung - that will be 4 items out of the storage room. I can also get carpenter to hang 2 of the new doors that are in the storage room.

Saver-upper

Programme I had been watching (advertised as 1.5hr) was only 1/2hour,so I went back to the littlies room and sorted their toy shelves.1 and 3/4 hours :eek:.But now looks lovely.All toy pieces in their own boxes,instead of spilled all over the shelves,boxes standing upright on shelves so even 5yo can see what is where.Then I sorted out their beds.Oh Gawd-the stuffed toys my kids accumulate :eek::eek:.It must all be gifts and grandparents because I saw soft toys today I've never seen before.The 5yo had a collection that included,but not limited to, 26 different stuffed dogs!!!!:eek::eek::eek:
The 7yo had, hidden in her bed,assorted pieces of clothing,including 2 school shirts(no wonder there never seems to be enough of those around.....),and assorted books with bookmarks in them.Bless.
Vacuumed the room (second time in 3 days),it looks lovely.Left to still sort in that room is the tiny built-in wardrobe,and 5yo underbed storage box(7yo had done her own,,unasked after school on Thurs,and was very proud to reveal it to me :A).

Phew.Now about to get ready to go out for a meal with friends.Depending how full of curry I am when I come home,I might sort through a few papers.