So so overwhelmed ☹️☹️

[SoEffingOverwhelmed]

Sorry posting for traffic. I need motivation and well god knows what else.

My mental health is rock bottom. I am a hoarder. I live in absolute squalor.

Today is the day I need to blast through the clutter. The junk. The piles of clothes. The piles of rubbish. The empty packaging and empty boxes. Empty cups. Some mouldy. I know how gross this is.

I am overwhelmed I’ve allowed it to get to this point. I can’t see my floors. Dust is everywhere. No wonder I’m constantly run down and have allergies.

It’s all m fault. Everything is filthy. I’m so ashamed and embarrassed.

It’s just me though. No kids. No pets. No partner. So im not putting anyone else through this hell. My friends don’t know. They’ve never seen it.

I’ve made a start. I’ve almost filled a roll of bin liners up to take to the tip. Cardboard boxes ready to be ripped up for the recycling box. I can now see a fraction of my wooden floor.

But by God. It’s hard. So hard. This is just a quick break to write this and have a drink. (Of tea) now I’ll be back to it and hopefully finish one room by this evening.

I don’t even know why I’ve posted here. But if you’re this far, thanks for reading.

Take some pictures as a reminder to yourself especially before and after.

Set yourself a reasonable target per day - even on cupboard or one tip trip makes a difference.

Play some music and the time goes faster!

Don’t forget to eat and drink and keep your energy up!

Keep going!

🥳🥳🥳 fantastic, keep us posted so we can keep encouraging. The longest journey starts with one small step 🥰🥰

Well done op!! I know how hard it is, I look around and get more and more depressed and then do less and less! Congrats on making that start and do come back and tell us how good it feels as you move through the house.
Here's rooting for you!

Great work OP. Get a good night’s sleep and then tackle some more tomorrow.
Put on an upbeat playlist whilst you clean and treat yourself to a nice lunch/coffee out so you can have a midday break. Each day will get easier ❤️

Well done OP. 💐💐💐

Oh well done, I bet you feel really proud of yourself for making a start. Have a good nights sleep in your freshly made bed. X

Well done!

The local authority will have people to help you, talk to them if you need help.

Seek some time for me counselling via Relate.

Talk to your GP to help to seek out the why so it can be controlled.

Best of luck xxx

Cheering you on - sounds as if you've made a brilliant start!

That's incredible OP. You've done the hardest part which is making a start. Keep going, one bin bag at a time. 💪❤️

Keep posting and let us know how you're getting on so we can be your cheerleaders (but only if I can have pom poms 🤣)

Agree music or if you’re like me an amazing audiobook!!! Pick a classic favourite. Or some nonsense. I’m thinking Harry Potter. True blood. Bridgerton.

Somehow it’s easier when your mind is partially distracted.

You can do it! Xx

Have you watched Stacy Solomons 'Sort your life out'? It's really inspiring and motivating with plenty of tips. Also, have you had CBT for your mental health? You can self refer on the NHS. They have lots of ideas about how to motivate yourself which then lifts your mental health. I found it really helpful. Well done though! Keep riding this wave of motivation. Look at what you have achieved rather than what you still have left. Rope others in too if you can.

Literally everyone has certain issues they consider to be shameful. Congrats on getting on here and beginning!

Stop judging yourself about this clutter. Everyone gets "cluttery" now and then. There are times I leave a room and it looks as if a hand grenade has been tossed into the room. 😂

My husband is a "collector" (likes to horde things and can't figure out why he insists it is important to keep things) but as he gets older he is more able to discern what to toss and how. His thing is that he "paid money for it!" and therefore he wants to "sell it" rather than just take it and dump it or donate it. But he never gets around to selling because that takes energy and time from his rather do list/hobbies. He does not need the money - as in selling to get money - but he feels guilty tossing things due to his Depression Era (1920s) parents.

Looking at the whole big clutter can be overwhelming. Break it down. Make a to-do list with a date for it to be done by to keep you organized and then find some reward when you have done one to do to completion.

Other posters here have said listen to music and take photos and show us your progress...please DO! Working with headphones and good music often keeps me focused on tidying, sorting, organizing, and doing housecleaning.

Go for it!!

This is amazing!!

Remember you deserve to live in a nice home. You will never regret cleaning up but you will regret leaving it.

Sounds like you’ve made great progress!

Fan Bloody Tastic, bite sized pieces. You will get there😘

I am a hoarder - discovered I have inattentive adhd which was driving my hoarding because I struggled to work out how to sort through stuff. BUT people with adhd have hyper focus ie if we can get our shit together under pressure. I am wondering if you also have inattentive adhd

Well done on making a start. Remember, it will take a while to get it done, so try not to be too hard on yourself - you won't complete it in a day, the important thing is to start and keep going. Have you sought help with your mental health or the underlying issues that have led to you hoarding in the first place?

@SoEffingOverwhelmed I’ve done five (4 me and 1 my dad) car trips to the tip this week and my son’s box room is still piled high with crap! You’ve done a much better job than me. I don’t know how I’ve allowed myself to accumulate so much tosh.

I once had to do a massive declutter of a relative’s house who could not let go of stuff, “in case it is useful one day” or “there”s a war or famine.”

What we did is take her out for a nice lunch and we all imagined with her that a fire destroyed everything and she was sad she lost everything. We then asked her to pick her 100 favourite items of any kind that she could list of the top of her head and we just chucked the rest. This was a downsizing scenario and she still talks about it and how freeing it was. Just keep the most sentimental, the most useful and the most beautiful and non/recycle anything else.

That’s fantastic progress, well done you!! Make sure you take regular breaks, you are doing brilliantly!

Depending upon how much you have in the house and finances, could you afford a skip so you don’t lose momentum going to the tip and it’s easier to get out of the house?

It is hard but you've done the hardest part by starting. It will feel amazing when you have a room clean, clear and orderly :)

Be kind to yourself, it doesn't need to be a gruelling punishing process. If you've got a favourite podcast, album, radio show or TV show which you can listen to in the background, do that, so you don't feel like you're sorting out clutter but taking time out for yourself. Eat food you like whilst you're doing it as well :) snacks, popcorn, whatever you would treat a friend with who would come over for the night to help you.

Xx

I’ve made a start. I’ve almost filled a roll of bin liners up to take to the tip. Cardboard boxes ready to be ripped up for the recycling box. I can now see a fraction of my wooden floor.

Thats amazing OP!! Well done 💐💐

The hardest part is starting but it sounds like you’ve done an amazing job already!
Just keep going!!

The more progress you see, the more you’ll find it easier to carry on.

My advice is to do one room and at time, always have lots of bin bags and get some headphones or listen to the radio. Most libraries have a free app where you can listen to audiobooks.

Hello all you lovely people 😊

A progress update. (8 hours after I started on my bedroom) it is done. Still needs a thorough deep clean, skirting boards, inside wardrobes etc. BUT all the crap has gone into bags. I can see and walk on the floor again. It’s dusted, and hoovered. Bedding in the wash waiting to be changed.

After my last update I ran out of bin bags. And instead of doing the total normal adult thing to do like popping to the shop for some more, I cried. Called my mum, and cried more. She was right round with stacks of bags. She knows I’ve been struggling mentally for a while but probably not this bad. Anyway with her help, one room is done. She is an angel, and wasn’t phased in the slightest like I thought she would be.

Just wanted to say another massive thank you to every single one of you that has taken the time out to send you encouragements and offers to help me. It is so appreciated, and has been a huge help.

I will read every message again and again. And then some more.

To anyone who is going through similar - if I can make a start and a change -then you can too!

Bath is running then going to have some dinner

SoEffingProud

❤️

👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

Amazing! You’ve got momentum now. The path won’t always be easy, or straight, but you’ll keep going forward. Enjoy the results of your hard work.

You go girl. We are all well impressed. X