Sorting a hoarders house - encouragement needed!

[gremlindolphin]

Hi, I am sorting out my mum's house for her - a monumental task as she is a full on hoarder! She is in hospital, won't be going back to this house and is happy for me to do it. It is just such an enormous task, I am sorting everything into the following categories:

-rubbish (a lot)
-paper for recycling
-items to shred
-paperwork to keep ie finances
-charity shop items
-to keep for her to live with
-new presents for people
-new greetings cards (could start her own shop!)
-personal things for her to keep/sort on her own ie letters
-books - new
-books- antique
-other things of possible interest to collectors ie ancient -magazines, stamp collection
-photographs

I have only done half of one room so far and am feeling a bit defeated! We have talked about getting a removal firm to just box it all up and put it into storage but there is so much rubbish around the good things that we would then be paying to store rubbish.

Also I keep finding things of mine that I have lived quite happily without for the past 30 odd years but am now finding it hard to throw away!

Aaargh! Any words of encouragement or advice?

I dread that job. My parents are the same.

Best tip is Flylady's. Get three big boxes and line them with bin bags. Label one: Keep, two: charity, three: rubbish. Flylady says when you're clearing bad clutter let yourself off the recycling hook for now. Just bin it and once a place is decluttered you can set up proper recycling systems. It makes the job easier.

Then set a timer for 15 minutes and whizz round the room looking for 27 things to chuck and 27 to give to charity. After 15 mins have 15 mins break for a cup of tea or walk round the block. Then do another 15 mins. Keep doing this all day - 15 mins on, 15 mins off. Don't neglect the breaks. Bring a good book if you want or your laptop, but keep the timer set and stick to it.

One rule: you are not allowed to look in the rubbish or charity boxes. As soon as they're filled the rubbish goes straight in the bin outside and the charity bag goes in the car boot and is dropped at a charity shop that same day.

It does work. It lets you off the hook. That 27-thing-fling is magic for some reason.

Good luck.