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

[Solo]

Are you are any of the following? Can you be described as a clutterbug? Are you 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 cannot just ask someone in for a cuppa at a moments notice or dread the meter reader asking for access.

Are you nodding whilst reading any of these words? 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. We cheer one another along and drag the drowners from the depths of despair.

Join us; we don't bite :) Welcome to thread number 3.

Scissors: could be for different jobs, but I don't think so. We already have the garage scissors, the workshop scissors, the office scissors, and the sewing box scissors. An additional SEVEN pairs in the kitchen seems to be a bit excessive.

One of the curses of being in a 1st world country, and having a house with too many rooms. I once counted up, we have 19 chairs, and only 2 bums, or 3 if you include the cat.

Thanks Solo. We've all had tummy bugs this week. Hopefully finish small faffy bits ourselves this weekend then handing over to the builders and we can focus on Xmas and doing family stuff.

Decluttering is really needed, more is coming in than going out: DD outgrown clothes, more bits for Halloween and Xmas. So much we could get rid off. I'm determine to start next week.

FFS DH now doesn't want to pay anyone as wants to save up "just in case". He's also totally against us switching rooms when DD is 10 and DSS is 20 as "DSS should choose when he wants to move out".

We agreed DSS has it through his teens as DD won't need it and DD has it through her teens as DSS would be an adult who has to take responsibility for his own choices.

Grr. Sorry nothing to do with hoarding but he is pissing me off.

It's so annoying when you agree something and then the other person changes the goalposts.

I could do with some of your scissors CJ, most of mine have gone AWOL.

Need to get rid of a lot of empty plastic bottles and clear the alcove so I can put Halloween decorations up.

Halloween is a great motivator as I love it!

Also have to fix the window ledge thing as the bloody cat broke it. Admittedly it is plastic and crap...

CanadianJohn You sound very critical of your wife. It makes me uncomfortable to hear it. Makes me wonder what my husband use to say about our house.
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We have plenty of scissors as I got so cross at the lack of them in the house and bought 2 packs of three scissors from Wilkos. I put 4 pairs in the stationary box and 2 pairs in the kitchen. Two months later we still have all 6...a modern day miracle.

I do need to get small scissors and a needle threader for my sewing box and then we have enough scissors...assuming No one moves or loses any.

My Update

Currently on half term so keeping the house up to term time standards is impossible.

We are doing regular tidying every day. The downstairs is OK. I only have one lot of washing up in the kitchen to tackle.

Upstairs. Both kids rooms and bathroom are fine. Our room no comment.

I have been sorting out space in my living room storage this holiday.

So the colouring books and pens/crayons are sorted out all working and neat.

The children's paints have been sorted into useable and throwaway. With all aprons neatly folded egg.

I have condensed down all the bubble containers to a few big tube wands and a fish bubble maker...all refilled ready for summer and useable chalk in another tub for outside play.

I have also sorted put my stationary box and even bought myself a stapler to in it. Nearly everything I need to hand. Just need to get paperclips. Makes it much easier to wrap presents etc when everything is together and neat.

I also had a nice surprise when I got down last year's Halloween box. I have nearly everything I need for this year and I can get my hands on it. It is giving me an idea on how much easier my life will be when EVERYTHING is properly organised. Roll on that day.

Plus I am determined to make a big sent in our room before Christmas...wish me luck. :)

Dent not sent...flipping autocorrect.

And Etc not egg

You are doing so well Babies! :)

You wouldn't think that if you saw my room :(

I'm actually impressed we've managed to get the house half decent with the amount of crap that's been going on lately.

We've implemented a policy to grab something every time we leave the room.

Today I got rid of random plastic bottles that never made it back down.

Also vacced the whole house and vacced and steamed the kitchen, but I'm paying for it dearly as it's triggered my sciatica .

I wanted to clear the alcove as well, but I can barely move. I'm ready for Halloween .

I'm really looking forward to Halloween as a change of pace from the day to day crap so I'm unreasonably disappointed.

Well it took a few days but I did manage to declutter DD2 from my womb :o she arrived at 7.30 last night :)

Congratulations on the safe arrival of DD2.....aaww...sweet new born cuddles:)

Congrats Cag and family, hope everything went well.

How are you settling at home?

Definitely Cheshire. Have talked yoT DH again and now he's back on board. Think he worried as money is from my savings but I said it's our home and we family.

Also congrats again Cag on.your beautiful baby.

Woo hoo!! Congratulations Cag I feel excited for you and I have no idea why!

Just realised that now I'm cluttering the house with Halloween decorations, but I'm quite excited.

I sometimes wonder if my issue is hoarding or just not having the foggiest how to actually sort and tidy stuff.

I can keep things clean and I can put things away as long as they have a set place, but i struggle to find a place for them.

DP is a hell of a lot better than me so I wonder what plays a part here.

I think both things go hand in hand.

If you reduce a category to just the necessaries, it becomes easier to find a proper space for them and therefore easier to tidy away.

I have sorted (aka konmaried) the big categories clothes, books, toys etc. But the konomo or misc section is impossible. So many things that individually seem useful but in a pile so I can't find it then I need it...so I might as well not have it !

I am concentrating on grouping misc items in similar piles so I can sort out all the craft stuff then all the other things. Argh.

I am also looking forward to Halloween!

Sorry if it’s been asked before but what made you into a hoarder? Is it a loss/ bereavement? Or do you think it has more to do with mental health issues/depression? My obsession is clothes and I find myself feeling depressed if the house is a mess then go out shopping to help me feel better/look nice are there certain degrees of hoarding or do we watch it on tv and convince ourselves we’re not that bad?

salsmum Interesting first post, welcome to Mumsnet. TBH this is a support thread not a discussion on issues thread. Just a place where we share our up and downs and our common grounds with others that understand.

Pull up a chair and chill :)

Hi Salsmum . For me, I think it was a mixture of abandonment issues (so loss and grieving) and probably mental health too.

I hate being this way.

I think I'm lazy to a point but, I have little storage space so it doesn't help. I can't get rid of things because I invariably need them at some point.

I mentioned, way upthread, that I've been cleaning and painting my workshop.

I found a box of aromatic cedar (for lining a cedar chest) which I bought in 2004. Thirteen years ago. I know it was 2004, because the date is on the box.

Today, I finally got around to making a cedar lining for one of our many closets.

No hurry, was there.

But it is now done CJ so, it's one less thing hanging around doing nothing!