Hoarding - Springing Ahead

dumpy

Talking about the cushion, I had a tea towel once that said "Boring people have immaculate homes"

I like a house that looks lived in.:p

whitewing

I got two loads of washing done and hung up this morning, 4 boxes, a bucket of stuff and a bag of stuff out too.

Another big bag ready to go to MIL (it's in the car).

DH took the recycling.

House is mostly tidy. I feel relieved to have all of it out.

greenval

Anirtak, just thinking about your Nan.
My Dad was partially sighted and lived alone after my Mum died (he insisted on it).
Anyway, there were some things he was OK doing and others were a bit risky. I used to make a huge amount of mashed potato and batch it up in individual bags and put it in the freezer for him. Dad would either get it out to defrost then just zap it in the microwave or defrost and then heat in the microwave if he forgot.
Also, my friends husband likes baked potatoes, she doesn't. Husband does a load of baked potatoes when the oven is already on, lets them cool, wraps in foil and puts them in the freezer until needed, again, defrost /heat in the microwave.
Sadly, my Mum died in February 2013 and Dad in June 2013 . Whilst it may sound a minor thing I was glad I could provide food for him in a way that helped him feel more independent.

parsniphead

I have spent this morning polishing and vacuuming upstairs. It took me 10 minutes to sort it out completely. I do still have the cupboard from hell to sort out which I'm going to do on Wednesday when the little one is at kindergarten. I can't believe how easily I did a job which which would have taken a couple of hours previously. I would never have achieved this if I had not used the help and support on this thread so a big thank you to everyone on here. I don't want a show home, but I do want one where I can come in and relax after a hard day at work.

Now I have the rest of the house to tackle and the bathroom is going to be the first as it's probably the easiest to sort.

Have a lovely day everyone.

whitewing

I still put off making my bed each day, yet it only takes me 3 mins. I can't get over the mental block about it being a big job (especially if DH doesn't do it occasionally).

Happygreen

Gosh, spiders, they have taken permanent residence her in all shapes and sizes...I just chuck them out the window if they get in my way but I live in the hope that some of my downfall creatures (clothes and flour moths) end up in a net somewhere!
DD1 has had a spurt of pre-Uni activity and sorted out her and DD2's shoe shelves. The hall is very clean now and more room in the shelves, some pairs will go to CS and some to a nunnery in Nepal. I've vaccumed the cob webs off the windows in the kitchen, maybe I'll clean the windows today.

thriftwizard

Asking a bit of help here: I've had "You're a hoarder!" thrown at me recently. I wouldn't be on this thread if I wasn't aware that I have a problem, but I think my problem is actually that I tend to bite off more than I can chew; things like, I'll buy a job lot of vintage clothes, get the better ones priced up & down to the stall just about straight away, then start washing & mending the second-grade stuff. But life takes over & some of it will inevitably end up piled up by my sewing machine, waiting for the right buttons or something; from time to time I'll tackle the heap & end up giving or even throwing some of the stuff away, if the right bits haven't turned up. (As long as I've made my money on the whole lot, I don't see parting with some of the less-worthwhile bits this way as a loss.)

Thing is, is "holding" stuff like this actually hoarding? We're talking about maybe 5 dresses & a pair of curtains at the moment; there's also a box of hats awaiting someone choosing a job lot from them next week, re-arranged from last week. There's a typewriter awaiting servicing since last Wednesday, but I have a space for it on the stall tomorrow as the last one sold over the weekend. I have a shed that my stock for pop-up markets lives in, and keep my tables etc. at the end of the garage. Apart from that, and the fabric I actually use to make stuff (for sale, and for gifts) with and the fact that I haven't yet decluttered my wardrobe this summer, it's not actually all that much stuff, it's just that we really don't have much spare room at the moment.

I think my point is, genuine hoarders don't/can't part with stuff. My mother has always said I'm "easy come, easy go" which I think is fair, and I use it in my business; if I love something, can afford it & think I can make a profit on it, it comes home with me, but it'll go out again in a day or two spruced up & fully working & with a higher price tag on it. There are a few "things" like family photos (one box) a handful of much-loved heirlooms & books, and pets, that I'll resist pressure to get rid of (OH thinks he's a minimalist) but again, I don't see that as hoarding.

So - where does a tendency to clutter turn into real hoarding? Am I fooling myself that I'm ever going to "get on top of it?"

whitewing

One definition of hoarding is can you use your room for its intended purpose, ie can you bath in your bathroom and cook in your kitchen?

pigpen

Thriftwizard.. Sell the damaged beyond reasonable repair items as quilting fabric.. strip the seams iron it all flat.. photograph to show those amazing vintage patterns and fabrics and get them sold.. there are loads of places/sites to sell vintage fabric and it has a massive market..

pigpen

whitewing wrote: »

One definition of hoarding is can you use your room for its intended purpose, ie can you bath in your bathroom and cook in your kitchen?

I can do those 2 things, but you cannot sleep in any bedroom, take your life into your hands on the landing and clutter everywhere!

I was really pleased the other day when I could walk from the back to the front of the house without stepping on or over anything