Calling all hoarders out there......why?

[muriel76]

My DH is a bit of a hoarder. Some of his family are the same but particularly his mum, she seems to keep everything. They both like to also display pointless things ie books that will never be/never have been read etc.

Don't get me wrong, it is not a big deal or anything but I do want to understand why. It's hard to understand as my mum is the complete opposite and I am the same. DH and I have agreed to give the house (another!) big clear out and it would help me to hear a hoarder's view!

(Obviously I have talked with him about it many times BTW, I am just looking for other people's more neutral insights)

Thanks for any replies.

Haven't read the thread but was reading Womans Own this week and there was an article about hoarding so thought some of you would be interested in these links:-

www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b013nhfq

www.helpforhoarders.co.uk/

childrenofhoarders.com/wordpress/

Thank you AngryFeet :)

How's it all going?

Today I have had a friend over today for Tea, which was lovely. Not done much around the house. Just basic maintenance, cleaning kitchen, picking up toys, loading dishwasher, laundry etc. House is looking OKish. No better and no worse since I last posted. I am proud I am keeping on top of it so far.

Next jobs include :-

1. Sorting through children's toys and charity shopping/chucking excess.
2. Sorting out three/four random of stuff boxes out in Living Room.
3. Packing DVD's to be sold to Magpie

Yesterday I pick up my tenner and all the unwanted books from the book shop and gave them to local charity shops. Sigh, nearly all the books have gone now, but I have my Kindle.

Good job babies. It all takes time doesnt it? Sorting, taking it somewhere, bringing it back, waiting for someone, etc etc. We just need to keep focusing on that lovely space and clarity.
Today i emptied the office, it seems to have spread over a very large floor area! But have binned and recycled and boxed and will soon be rather lovely.
Managed to let the rice boil dry and burn to the extent of smoke so kitchen stinks! Great!
Car boot on Sunday, a very civilised 12-3, so hoping for, ooo dare i say, err £35 this time?

Ebay have free listing this weekend. Wish it didn't take so much effort to list on there. I have a large Ikea bag full of beautiful baby girl clothes...

Well done BE and ww you are both doing great. I am not, but have to now as Dd's father is coming back into the country next month and he wants to see Dd...bugger! on many counts.

My car book technique involves 8 boxes of stuff. We came back last time with 3 empty ones. In the process of filling those to go again with our 8 boxes full again. I recommend some storage boxes, but otherwise use banana boxes, they are very strong, have carry handles, are a manageable size and easy to stack. Also you can focus on those being 'to go stuff' and keep them somewhere where its easy to load up and go.
Who else is gonna do a car boot this weekend?

Not me ww I hate doing them.

My sis used to live in Holland, and they have a system there where people just put unwanted stuff out on the pavement outside their houses, for anyone who wants them to take. I think that is a brilliant idea, although not sure what happens if it is raining, or if anyone doesn't want the stuff - people must have to bring the stuff back in if it hasn't been claimed.

I haven't read all the pages so this may have been mentioned already but there is a programme on the Bio channel called Hoarders (might only catch repeats as the series recently finished) and it so interesting!
Some people have 1 path in their home & are unable to use their bedroom or kitchens as every inch if the home is filled with stuff.

They have cleaners & therapists come in when they are on the verge of losing their homes/children and to see how hard it is for them to part with what most would think of as junk is very sad.

Definitely worth a watch!

I wanted to see that, but couldn't find it :( Thank you Yummy

Not done much sorting this weekend but house looks OK considering we have been inside most of the time and I am keeping on top of the ironing ! Which is a nice change for me :)

Look forward to my first attempt of Week 2 runs (Couch to 5k) tomorrow, really missed exercising at the weekend. Another nice change for me !

Nothing from me this weekend and wont be able to tomorrow either, but must get to it because Dd's father is apparently visiting in a few weeks...he hasn't been into my house for almost 3 years...

Not a great car boot here. Hardly actually worth it, still a net profit, but a bit rubbish. Its still a move in the right direction.
Contents of the office still strewn about the floor and dining room table covered in boxes of stuff.
Bag of rubbish. Recycling bin full and large bag of rags all to go.
A couple of rooms tidy and washing done. Still struggling with the psychological side of all this. And chucking the 'useful' stuff is impossible.
Another week then.....

"chucking the 'useful' stuff is impossible"

Real junk I can bin but I found it much easier to give 'useful' things to charity, I couldn't just throw them away.

On last load of laundry. Baby asleep, about to make lunch. Ironing this afternoon and I need to sort out the random boxes in the living room.

Feeling tired, I think it is the combination of waking up early this morning and no exercise over the last couple of days.

You're amazing babies, just looking after a baby is a full time job.

But i have these boxes, baskets, drawers and tubs that just have things in. Twist ties, odd screws, bits of string, bits from a toy, a note a child wrote, stuff......
Went to get assessed for councelling for anxiety today......

TBH the 'baby' is a year old, so not much trouble at all, she is lovely :) Plus I never got around to the random boxes, just looked at them

We all have "boxes, baskets, drawers and tubs" of stuff. I am hopeing to sort it out one box at a time. I have a junk drawer and I'm aiming to try and reduce the stuff so it just filled that space.

How did your anxiety assessent go ?

I was referred for counselling, but big waiting list. Tbh, i want more than anything just time and space, to be left alone. Sorted more office stuff today and recycled loads of paper. Focusing on a clean echo-y office! Lol
Cashflow a real nightmare, went over the overdraught today.

Sorry to hear about the big waiting list.

I worry about overdraft every month too :(

Do you have a decent finance package to track your bank balance, I found this free MMEX software a life saver

I have used Quicken for years, i track everything, but had forgotten a new dd. Also cash v tight in my business, so hadnt paid myself my full salary for last month. One of my controlling behaviours is reconciling the bank most days, so doubly annoying when something goes wrong! I'm just a total stress bag at the mo!

{{{Hugs}}} We all forget things at times, have you tried appealing to the bank ? Seeing as it was a genuine oversight and it sounds like you are usually on the ball with money, they might overlook this mistake ?

Hello fellow hoarders, you are all doing so well.

I've just spent an hour going through old paperwork/ work stuff. I feel physically sick but there's another bag of paper in the recycling. It seems such an impossible task.....

Keep plodding on ungrateful. One step at a time. I've got rid of several folders worth of papery stuff. Slowly making my way through all the office piles and loving the space i'm making. Think there might be a miscellaneous box that just gets left in the corner.

Thanks for the hugs babies! Back atcha! The bank returned a dd even though i'd managed to get into the back the same day and pay in some cash. I hate stoopid pooey banks.