The Hoarders Anonymous Thread Part Two...Still Sorting It Out ~ Together!

[Solo]

Sorting out the home when you're a hoarder (big or small) is never going to be easy and we should know! but having someone else to support you, talk about it with you and make you feel much less of a freak of mother nature makes a huge difference!

If you are any of the following:
A hoarder. In a mess. Untidy. Disorganised. Lazy with housework that has lead to something that you now feel unable to deal with. If you are ill and not coping with the housework. If you are emotionally attached to items for whatever reason. If you have a combination of any or all of these things or something completely different, please join us. No one here will judge you. We have something in common and we have a common goal. We share our ideas and we share our disappointments no matter how big and our celebrations no matter how small.

Welcome to thread number 2! :)

DH is home so he is just playing outside with the DCs for a bit and then we are cracking on. The huge load of stuff that I shoved in boxes yesterday is the target. Hoping that plenty of it has a home already and that a lot of the rest can be chucked, or sorted into other boxes in categories. I also want to clean out a section of the cupboard that we emptied a few days back so we can start using it to store a tiny fraction of our games.

Polter I was definitely on a women with AS thread a couple of years back, haven't done so lately though. Physical health issues took over so I'm kind of ignoring everything else the psychiatrist I saw was utterly useless (spent most of the session reading my hospital notes which were over 10 years old, until I cried at him and told him to actually listen to what I was saying NOW, at which point he said 'you sound like you have OCD, I'll refer you... but he didn't.) and I just don't have the mental strength to chase it right now.

Babies really hope you can get some proper help for DS. I'm sure it's not your fault that he is anxious!

Oh yikes at the mites Polter! And good luck with seeing the specialist - is it the NAS they're from?

We've had a very successful day today although I'm now suffering for it. Yesterday I panic tidied the living room (shoved lots of random crap in boxes) and today we brought them all back down to the living room - 8 boxes! - and we sorted through everything! I've taken a break for a bit but am now trying to gather the energy to tackle the last of it, which is spread out on the living room floor. Normally when we sort through 'boxes of crap' we end up with a lot of stuff left over that doesn't really fit anywhere, so we just shove say 10% of it back into a box. Which of course then ends up multiplying and having other crap added to it over time. SO my aim today is to NOT DO THAT. We have 'a place' for much more now, so I'm really hoping that I can figure out where everything goes.

[deep breath emoticon]

Yes and if you're anything like me, you end up having to buy the duplicates (and triplicates... and, erm, quadplicates?! :o) because you have no idea where the originals are.

Ashamed to say I didn't quite succeed in my mission :( I think there are some things that will end up shoved back in a box (although I do have a tray with different sections now you mention it - one of the many storage things my mum brought up last week! And I like the idea of displaying stuff too). I really do get halted by the uncategorisable stuff, although I did manage a reasonable amount after my previous post. Just ended up in too much pain though, wound up sitting on the floor unable to move for a couple of hours.

Finally crawled upstairs and am now sitting on the bed, hanging clothes and sorting little bits and pieces from the bedroom floor in between MNing, while DH puts the DCs to bed. Have to say that it's already getting so much easier to actually put bits and pieces away generally - a couple of weeks ago if I'd looked in the bag I'm sorting now, I'd have gone fnnnrnrrrgghhh and not even bothered because nothing in it had an obvious home. But I've just done about 90% of said bag. So that's progress, anyway.

Did my run to charity and the dump today. Feel good as got rid of least two black bags worth. Doesn't feel like a lot but if I can do that every week until the end of the school holidays then that's clearing a fair bit of room for a proper sort out.

Also I did short duration listings on eBay so they are relisted twice in a week. What didn't sell joined the charity pile.

Wow, you guys are doing well.

YY to re buying things I can't find do I end up with billion duplicates yet can never find them, when I want any.

I have done minimal cleaning and no decluttering today....but have had visitors and took the kids to the park...so done stuff

I have to sort out the living room drawers soon as that is where my stock of bows and ribbon/tulle needs to go.. currently stacked up next to me in the living room.

My living room floor is still a mess! I just haven't a clue what to do with the bits and pieces lying on it :( still quite achy today although not quite as bad, I've been trying to make up for it by putting away easy things from the hellpit that is our bedroom, but I need to fix the living room ASAP. Friends visiting later :)

Erm, a load of tealights, some hair stuff, happyland (that can go in the cupboard when DH can get to it - the box is in there) couple of random CDs that don't belong in the wallets, some books I don't know what to do with, playmobil instructions, DD's old school work, Nintendo DS games, a picture I don't have a hook for, old photos!

I can see a couple of other bits that do now have a home though so I'll start with those!

Most play mobile instructions can be downloaded on the Internet like here playmodb.org/downloadable.shtml

Can you throw the instructions and download of they are needed ?

We have a hair tub with all bobbles and combs/brushes etc...do you have a small drawer or tub you can re purpose.

We washed all the outside toys in the garden.

DH cut down overhanging tree branches and took down the broken trampoline.

I helped load up a car which various unwanted garden toys, branches and rubbish which my DH took to the tip.

My legs are aching from the bending and scrubbing but the garden is looking much better.

Still have to do loads of weeding and power wash all the flags but that is jobs for another day.

awaits.

Thanks folks, I managed some more of it, unfortunately I just totally froze about the rest and put it in a drawer that still needs sorting (so adding to existing random crap pile rather than creating a new one...). Didn't feel too good mentally today, although my friends took me out in the evening so I feel somewhat better having had some child-free conversation!

Just saying "Hi", as it has been a while since I popped in (school holidays, and such-like). Will update soon.

Hi Two...Welcome back

Fuzz, I agree...Every house needs a junk drawer.

Well, I'm still on more than one drawer :o but we are definitely moving in the right direction. Sorry for being a right moaning Myrtle yesterday, was feeling very sorry for myself!

I've not managed much beyond laundry and my Graded Exercise Therapy but DH attacked our bedroom - lots of little bits and pieces found their homes, a bin bag full of random shit gone, and once I've sorted out a box to keep the towels in, EVERY SINGLE ITEM of clean laundry will be put away. For the first time in, erm...

Anyway, great progress thanks to DH, lots of the stuff he wasn't sure what to do with (I couldn't help as dealing with epic meltdown from DD) is in much neater piles at the side of the room, so we must make sure we don't fall into the trap of thinking it's done just because we can see the floor

Moan away, I do :)

We have put up the new trampoline and the children have been playing in the garden all afternoon :)

I have a housework catch up morning tomorrow. Followed by the CAMHS appointment (wish me luck)

Concluding with cups of tea and playing in the garden, if the weather holds !

I am very tentatively saying hello.

I have a house drowning in stuff. I have issues with throwing out items that still have, in my head, value.

I have a puppy arriving in 2 weeks so I must get rid of some things.

I have 2 days with no work and no DCs.

It's all me me me, or I I I, when I look at my post. Good luck Babies with your appointment.

Welcome Deputy....awww new puppy....how lovely. :)

I think we all have issues with ourselves or organisation or both....or we wouldn't be posting on this thread

Thanks Polter.

Good friend is taking my two oldest girls. But I can't leave DD3 (too screamy and not very verbal but improving daily), so taking her and DS with me.

Practically finished housework by 7.30am this morning ! As DH woke me up in a panic to find his car keys for work very early and I couldn't get back to sleep afterwards.

Just need to hoover downstairs and bath/dress kids, get through CAMHS appointment and get an early night tonight...yawn.