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! :)

I keep thinking there is no point fuzz but sit down with a cup of tea, watch some hoarding, buried alive and think that all those people just gave up at some point.

Even if you do five minutes a day, your giving up. That's what I try to remind myself. Also I was watching my eldest rummaging at the bottom of a pile and I had a vision of him being found year later with full facial hair after becoming trapped in my crud.

I'm currently putting washing away - all six loads from my holiday. I'm wondering what's the point currently too.

Re work and rules, I found the whole process very painful but I'm glad in hindsight. I don't think I could ever feel the way I did before which is isn't great for my company ( I had real pride in doing my job before) but it's not what they want so I do their way which ultimately makes my life easier. Everyone is happier ( except the inner me with my higher standards but she can shut up!)

I feel even 'just doing 5 minutes' is a tiny step in the right direction.

Having back slides and strikes when nothing can be done because of work or illness is part of life. But every time we stand back up and try again, things get easier and clearer.

I have been doing tiny bits in our bedroom (the last room) and today I felt able to move the broken running machine to the door (ready for DH to take away)

This afternoons job is too clear the ironing pile of clean dry clothes from the landing. I have decided to hang and fold everything and get it in the right drawer/wardrobe...rather than waiting until I have enough time to perfectly iron it...I will iron as we wear them.

IF I get that done the running machine can be dragged to the landing and out of our room !

Wish me luck

Also decided to give up on my idea of photographing everything in memory box's.

Have decided to get all 6 boxes in the attic and clear a big corner of our room....if I have time on my hands I can bring them down, one at at time and deal with them like that.

Hi everyone! how is it going? it's not really 'going' for me right now.
I have a lump in my breast and am being seen at the breast clinic this week. Other crap happening with my health too. Hey ho.
I keep looking at the crap and thinking about what will happen if it's bad news.

I did actually admit to my GP about my hoarding. It was a big step. Huge!

{{{Solo}}} Hope everything works out and another hug for taking to your doctor....that is so brave of you :)

I have banished running machine out of the house ! (Gosh I love my DH, who broke it down and carried it outside after a full day of work)

I lifted everything up, hoovered underneath....re shoved long term storage (bedding, sleeping bags etc) back under bed.

I still have three main piles to deal with.

1. Clothes....clean and dry...just need to put away..first job.

1. Pile of crates for attic. Need to check they are the correct size to fit though the hatch. Then get DH to put them up there...I don't do ladders.

1. Pile of things to sort out...This is going to take a while.

solo. I had a MRI for suspected bad news once. It's hellish. Hope your ok. It's more likely to be nothing than something but always needs checking out. Well done for telling the doctor. I was told to see my doc and ask for CBT but I never did. Maybe I should.

Moving the boys beds around - arrghhhh!!! Is all I can say and arrrrggghhh again. Oh.the.mess

Hi all. Thanks for the very welcome hugs . The mammogram is clear! thank God!!
Now just the head scan next week to get to the bottom of the other thing.

Catch up later on. My laptop is on its last legs eeek!!

Feeling too achey to play in the kitchen today so I'm sat with a roll of bin liners clearing the three year laundry pile in my room. I'm being ruthless.

It's all very well clearing you know. I've filled six bin liners and I have a basket of clothes each for myself and the three children as well as one of towels and one of bedding. But I have nowhere to put any of it. Nowhere. At all. No airing cupboard, no blanket boxes and no drawers. So it will just get stacked up again, more nearly for now, until it all slides again.

How about setting a small target? Like 10% of the pile has to go? I like this method as it's less daunting than saying "sort this pile so it's gone"

Mind you, I'm not good at implementing...

I did about a fifth today. I just desperately need storage. I'm off to measure up some storage next week with a view to buying some in the new year.

Polter thank you :)
PG I feel your pain!

Grr, haven't been able to get on Mumsnet for ages...but I am back :)

Great to hear the news Solo. Hope next week goes as well.

PG, We have no storage in a small house it is hard to deal with piles of stuff that have no home.

We are just back from soft play where a couple of children moved a few balls that 7 yo DS was arranging in a ball pit of millions...so he screamed at them until they cried and ran to mum. I then had a terrible time dragging him out and over to the crying children. Where he refused to say sorry as he wasn't...I hate failing him so he behaves badly in public all the time :(

On the bright side, I have spent hours over the last few days and I am making a big difference to our room. I can see and walk on 2/3 of the floor !

I have left to go:-

1. Massive bag of single socks to be sorted and put away.

1. Four massive bags of bedding to sort and steamline but we have nowhere for it to go atm.

1. Three small boxes of small stuff left over when I tidied, after all rubbish and charity stuff were taken away. It needs throwing or finding a home for each tiny thing.

1. Piled three bags of clean, dry clothes in kids room which need putting away...laundry is never ending in this house.

Three bags of rubbish in bin, one bag for charity and seven boxes on landing for DH to put in attic.

Even put up the curtains I bought 2 years ago and still had in their packaging !

I am having a house work free day today but tomorrow is kids clothes and single socks day...wish me luck :)

As it's been raining for a week I did eight loads of washing. No room for it on the line.

Anyone see Murails wedding where the mums burns the washing? I would like to do that, often

Wow, 8 loads is a lot of washing !

Babies! please don't think or feel that you have failed your lo. Parenting is tough and there's no handbook in the maternity unit when they pop out! don't be so hard on yourself!
You sound like you are going great guns!!

And 8 wash loads 2boys!! Wow!!! indeed

Me? nada!!

I am supposed to be spending the day being domestic tomorrow. I'm planning to do fuck all and sleep it off. I've planned the child bribes, there are crisps, breakfast bars and a massive pack of bourbons. That should get me 90 minutes lie in :o

Thanks solo , I was in a bad mood on the last post.

I took the kids out yesterday, softplay, park and grandparents.....no housework at all !

So this morning I have done a quick clean and clear up in our downstairs hallway, living room, dining room and kitchen and hoovered throughout.

Took some craft stuff upstairs and all toys are now in the kids room.

Just clearing up after lunch and off to shower and dress...then that is it for today.

Tomorrow will be cleaning the bathroom and digging a bit more through the kids room (neverending chore).

And I still haven't touched the massive pile of clean socks to be paired.

Will I ever have EVERYTHING done at the same time ?

Hope you had a great lie in this morning PG

Cautiously creeping in for some support if that's ok? I've posted in MH but nobody has answered so I've come to bug you lot instead.

Basically my grandmother died last year and my mum is now building an extension with the inheritance. This has meant she has to clear her house, in particular my room which will become another bathroom (it's complicated). Hence I have belongings from grandma's and my old room to sort out as well as many many years of my own hoarding to just sort and get rid of. I have just a vast amount of STUFF.

We moved 4 times in 3 years (this is now our forever home), so boxes and boxes of 'stuff' to clear. Mountains of clothes and toys. We have a largish house but it's FULL and I am determined to have it clear and clean by Christmas. It complicated a bit by me having 3 stone to lose and so I don't want to throw out my lovely white stuff clothes. Especially as I live in Tesco baggy pants at the moment.

Trouble is I am struggling emotionally to do it. We've clearly wasted oodles of cash in the past, I'm sending a lot to charity but trying to sell a few bits - so much waste I could cry. Especially on electronic items.

So. Does anyone have any tips on staying sane? I have had bouts of severe depression before but at the moment doing ok, I am definitely finding this all very difficult though. My oldest begins school this September and I'm hoping that dd2 will keep napping so I can get an hour a day to focus on clearing crap.

Welcome Lictionary :)

Sounds like you have had a lot of stuff and moves to deal with on recent years.It can be very overwhelming at the start but you sound like you have a plan.

Welcome Lictionary!
I don't think you'll find much sanity here, but you will find friendly and non judgemental encouragement in bucketfuls

Thank you

Spent today out with family. DH working the rest of the week, uniform to get ready, house not back to normal after my sorting sessions yesterday and a bucket load of washing to do too. SO after doing a crazy fast dinner for dds I got a load of washing in the machine to come on at 6am, did 20min of moving books and general sorting and have found my holiday packing list from last year ready for next holiday which will save me time.

Trouble is the room where the most amount of sorting needs to be done is right under dd2s bedroom and she is a VERY light sleeper.