Hoarding - Springing Ahead

Cheapskate

Morning all, not posted in AGES, but follow when I can.

Have finally started some major decluttering, very slow going due to RL, depression, family demands, etc., but slowly, slowly, catchee monkey, eh?!

This week I have taken 3 bin bags of pure rubbish to the tip, 3 to the CS, 3 carrier bags of baby stuff (plus 1 baby bouncer) to DD1 who's due a baby at the end of October, which is a real coup for me. Having the weekend off, DH off work, too, then back to it on Tuesday before my mojo vanishes again. :rotfl:

I agree with the comments about hoarding having evolved from natural tendencies to stock up against lean times, but it all gets out of hand, doesn't it?

A xo

silvasava

Dolly - at the end of posts there are 'buttons' one of them shows a green tick & thanks on it. You just have to click on that.
I can identify with you over your Mum's things - I've got boxes in the loft of my Mum's that have been there over 10 years & unopened because i knew there was so much emotion attached to her things! BUT I am slowly getting there. I do think you need to be able to let go in your head first if you know what I mean & sometimes it takes longer than others. We all WILL get there - whatever we hoard or hold on to

dollyblue48

Thanks, SS, see my edit re buttons !

I think my problem is that although Mum is in a lovely carehome, she doesn't want to be there and she keeps saying she wants to come home. I think this is very common with elderly who are beginning to forget everything, but it is holding me back from getting rid of all her stuff. She keeps asking about her furniture 'just in case I ever get out of here' when I will need it.

I am nibbling away at the edges of the pile - under the sink box, medicine cabinet box, etc., but then grind to a halt when it is something I think she might ask for !

So far this am I have done 3 small plastic boxes of batteries, picture hooks, etc, cleaning things, old medicines, etc and am pleased with this. Hopefully I will achieve a bit more today.

Dxx

whitewing

dollyblue,

I think the nibbling at the edges will help enormously. Keep the furniture for a while and get rid of as much of the rest as you can.

The furniture will be familiar to mum but also when she/you are ready to let it go, it will make a massive difference very quickly. The nibbly stuff is the stuff that takes the most agonising time, I find.

I got 3 loads of washing on the line today. So am shattered now I am at work, lol.

Two cards in the post too.

I am winning the battle.

silvasava

Dolly - I think the 'Thanks' button doesn't appear on your own post & sometimes it seems to take a while to appear on other posts if they are recent.
Managed to get rid of 3 lots of fabric from my stash & started a CS bag. Found homes for 3 sailing jackets & a top. Bought a piece of fabric for DS1's partner to make a cushion for her but that will be done for Sunday, oh & also bought 2 cushion pads - one for her cushion and one for me so when the machine comes out will set to and get some more bits out of the way.

pavlovs_dog

Hi dollyblue

I'd echo whitewing's sentiments that nibbling away at the edges is the way forward. It takes time, but you WILL see progress, and when you do it will give you the boost you need to keep going with the harder parts.

Decluttering jobs rather than possessions at the mo in chez pavlov. Lots going on today and house is currently in chaos. Scaffolding coming down as roof work is done, just waiting on a little bit of work to front guttering. I know roofer will re-appear to do it as he hasn't been paid for any of the work yet so there's a cash incentive to return and finish the job!

Inside the house we're having some old windows replaced. The seals had gone and they were badly installed which was causing damp. There are panes of glass everywhere at the mo! We had to take the blinds down so they weren't in the way... they are now dotted all over the house wherever we can find the floor space!

The last of the fence panels and posts turned up today, so the former are currently in the kitchen and the latter in the hall as the window people need the garden clear for their scaffold tower.

And as if that wasn't chaotic enough to be getting on with, in my infinite wisdom I decided today would be a good day to try and fix my slightly-botched-in-parts first attempt at replacing the mastic in the kitchen. So kitchen counter stuff currently on top of the hob or on the dining table. Old mastic everywhere, but I'm winning slowly and better understand now how to get the nice, neat finish I'm after.

No movement on my gumtree items at the mo. Will be patient before dropping the (FAIR IMHO) prices, as the items as not particularly in the way.

There's a week before I go back to school, and I need to work miracles in that time. In no particular order I want to

1) clean house from top to bottom
2) sort kitchen mastic
3) sort bathroom mastic
4) sand woodwork in loo
5) polyfilla loo walls
6) white coat in loo
7) mark at least 80 pieces of coursework
8) organise when fence will be erected
9) back to school shop and armageddon food shop
10) write list of DIY jobs for my handy FIL to help with and arrange a time for him to work his magic.

Being realistic, it is highly unlikely I'll finish decorating the loo before [STRIKE]all hell breaks loose[/STRIKE] school starts again , so at least if I can get the disruptive and messiest of jobs done now, I can aim to finish the rest by the end of September. My [STRIKE]naive[/STRIKE] optimistic hope is to the do the bathroom in October (probably a half term jobby) and the kitchen over the Chrimble holidays.

Knit_Witch

dollyblue, could it be worth saying to your Mum that if/when she does come out of the home it would be to somewhere smaller so getting rid of large bits of furniture now would be good?

dollyblue48

Hi Knit Whitch,

That is a thought, except that she will not be coming out, she is not able to look after herself any more, and if she was in her right mind she would realise that.

I think I will just have to plod on with the small things for now, although the big things do take up a lot of space, but hope that in a while we can move on. I have managed to do some impersonal bits today that she will prob forget she has, so some progress has been made at least.
Thanks for your interest.
Dxx

Knit_Witch

Ah I figured that Dolly, I wondered if that could be a way of getting your Mum to let go of stuff? Mainly the furniture

greenbee

Good luck Pavlov... I've just had ALL my windows replaced, so dust and grit is everywhere.

I did have a good declutter in preparation - all the odd bits of wood out of the garage, the garage tidied etc. And the glazer took away the 13ft track for sliding doors that has been there since I moved it (it fitted on the roof rack of his van...). 17 rotten windows have now been removed from the garden

I'm betting I can declutter more stuff as I start cleaning up and putting things back!