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.

That’s fantastic!

Keeping on top of the laundry is great too, makes all the difference I think.

DH is dropping two big bags to charity today. I need to pack up a few bits for friends’ kids, and pack away the rest of the outgrown baby clothes into categories.

Friends are visiting today though (very few are allowed in no matter the state of the place) so won’t have much time after that.

depressed this morning by kitchen. It looks dreadful.

however, reading your post Solo I feel a bit more inspired. All I have to do is actually tidy it..it is just time isn't it? I don't why we attach this feeling of impossibility to things which literally are like putting one foot in front of another.

Will press on.

last night I cleared various things from our bedroom to put in washing machine and tidied various surfaces, only to be told off this morning by dh because he couldn't find his drssing gown or his toothbrush and that towel didn't need washing yet...aargh. But now he is playing Monopoly with ds and about to take him to football Match in stadium so I suppose he has his priorities right! and he has cooked lunch (but i think I am about to get an earful about the washing up soon, last night wsa my turn)

Gosh! I don't think I've ever inspired anyone before! :)

Been out today as usual for a Saturday morning and going out this evening with a friend and her three Dc's and my Dd - not usual. Dd and I were out last night too - again, not usual...I'd much sooner stay home if I'm honest.

Since being home this afternoon, I have put a wash load on after checking how dry yesterday's lot was; I managed to take some off the rack so should have enough room for the clean lot once done - it's not a full load though and yesterday's lot included quite a few thick, fleecy onesies, which I hang on hangers to dry anyway.
I need to change my bedding but, I don't want it hanging about in the wash bin but, definitely don't have the room for it to dry right now.

I've cleaned the cooker top which. was. awful! I nearly always keep that clean but, it's been ignored recently and for too long .
The sink is still empty!

I gave away a small bag of clothes today but, the rest are still here, for now anyway.

So, in all not a lot done today. Will keep going though.

still have a dirty kitchen here but I swept floor yesterday and managed to do washing up yesterday.
More washing up today aargh, and that is clashing with food shopping, dealing with kids,hoovering...which means I essentially sitting here wringing my hands doing not much Feeling very low about the thousands of things in my hall that really do not have anywhere to go, think the coats of five people sports kits post, dh's wretched business stock. Deep breath, it is fine, that is what you get with a large family (hums to self)

Getting out is always good Solo if anything it makes tidying/decluttering seem like something that one is desperate to get on with and being interrupted from..

I have spend hours on the house today !

Normal Sunday stuff and loads of extra stuff done.

Tomorrow is paperwork and mopping floors !

I have spend hours on the house today !

Normal Sunday stuff and loads of extra stuff done.

Tomorrow is paperwork and mopping floors !

Sundays are usually crap here, so I’ve given up hope of achieving anything practical. BUT we found the old laptop charger, as I’ve needed to get on there to find tax info, and that’s also meant I can tackle some digital clutter. Aaaaaall our old photos are on the (almost defunct) old laptop and it was stressing me out knowing that if it does finally die, we will lose them all. Everything of baby Caglets etc. But I am now uploading them to google photos and will then be able to sort them properly.

Not much done today but, I did get rid of a few of Dd's things to another little girl/toddler. Once I can get the C4C out, the bigger girl's bits and small boy things and also the charity stuff, that'll be quite a bit gone!! :)

Emptied dishwasher and put away. Sink has a few bits in but, not much.

I am still liking, my rolling to do list. I am getting around to jobs that I don't normally get around too.

This morning I oiled the dining room table and washed the dining chairs. Off to clean fridge and make a food shopping list for tomorrow.

No laundry today...run out of washing powder ! So last load hung up to dry and will put away later.

Way to go Solo You are on a roll. Stuff has left house and you have next load to leave in mind...fabulous :)

Cag Photo storage/printing is the biggest thing on my list. Is Google storage secure ?

Nettle We fight coats in the hall too !

So! Today I took two large bags to the charity shop! Gone!! I also have two carrier bags in the car with boy stuff and girl stuff in. Nearly gone!! Hasn't made a lot of difference if I'm honest though :(

I have a porch with a lot of hanging space and shoe storage but, the house is still full of shoes, boots and coats.

Today I went through bed linen that was in space bags. Stuff I'd forgotten about; good stuff so, I won't be getting rid of it. Except for some single bed stuff which will go to mum for her spare single room. I have two single 100% cotton duvet sets which were used and washed just once. I need to find something to do with them as I won't use them here and mum has a double quilt on her single bed so, no good to her. I'm reluctant to give them away but, they have to go.

Oooh! And I vacuumed the cobwebs and dust from one of the window sills in my room. Un-be-lieve-able! Got to do the other one too now. I also vacuumed out the up lighter shade in my room. So not entirely wasted. Cooked salmon, new spuds and veggies aplenty this evening too.

Well, Christmas visitors finally prompted me to tackle the last box. 😃

Perhaps I am no longer a hoarder, now I am just a person with some excess stuff? Ha! Feel quietly pleased rather than jubilant, but it is so much better as a way to be...

Anyway, I am not going to rest on my laurels and my aim is to try to revisit all the areas I did this time last year (prior to our big building works) in order to refine my new ‘system’.

Excellent news MD :) Well done

The LAST box! Incredible!

Amazing progress happening for many of you, well done!

I barely kept up with usual stuff today as we were out, not a very practical start to the week and I am now absolutely shattered but socially and thus emotionally it was good for us.

Not sure about the security of google photos, my plan is first to upload them all there and then copy them onto the new laptop and I think I have a spare external hard drive somewhere that I will also back up to. I’m so glad I’ve started this, as I feel much less anxious about it (still need to do my damn tax return though, which was the reason I finally got around to charging the old laptop) and the Caglets were enjoying looking through some old baby photos of them.

backwards step... I took the car to the MOT today, and before this, took 3 bin bags of stuff OUT of the car and dumped it in the hall. Cannot believe it, this all stuff I decluttered but somehow it never got further than the car...old towels for swimming, old jumpers for dog walks, spare paperbacks to read, some history books I must have changed my mind about, not to speak of the old duvet covers I was using as tarpaulins or garden rubbish seat protectors. So cross with myself that I am looking at it all AGAIN.

However, it was a big step to even get the car to the MOT so I am going to congratulate myself that..I leave it to the last minute, dread it...worry about it, and then..well it is done tomorrow car comes back, I am determined not to just throw all the stuff in again

Today's decluttering has consisted of: eating some old rice in a stirfry, throwing away newspapers and jam jars, throwing away some very nice looking catalogues, and WASHING UP. Also swept floor. And about to take the rubbish out, including recycling, and compost.

front garden still abysmal though. dh says it burglar proofs our house, he may be right..

the impossibility of dealing with all these possessions is really getting to me...

We have a veggie box delivery and I just left it all in the box today and put it out on the doorstep again, the thought of having to corral vegetables as well as clothes and files and books..well...

I am beginning to fantasise about just throwing away all my clothes it would be easier than washing them and putting them back in the cupboard neatly

More washing up to do!!! And more uniform awaits.

Small steps my friends; small steps. Try not to be too hard on yourselves but, do try to keep at it. Nettle I do that sort of thing too...into the bags...eventually into the hall...makes it to the porch...back inside Currently my car boot is chockablock full. My house is full. I cannot walk anywhere indoors without fear of tripping up or falling - and it wouldn't be the first time. I need more time to do it all. But, I know I am getting somewhere.

okay, I have put some clothes out for the recyling bin collection (clothes I could have worn or used but they are going!)
I have taken a step back by putting all my George Eliots back under the sofa (but I've chucked Canterbury Tales and Troilus and Crisyede (i see that one originally belonged to another student anyway!)
I have put an Emma Bridgewater dragon teapot out for someone to enjoy
and most of car stuff is now allocated indoors instead of going back in a big heap.
I'm afraid David Hockney and a cookbook went back onto the bookshelf...

the hall looks clearer though.

I think the socks are a major problem atm. If I can just focus on putting them all away, maybe clarity will come to me Never enough black socks and never matched and too many of every other sock..

Please promise me you won't put any of that stuff from your car boot back in your house Solo. You have worked so hard to get it into the car, just do not bring it back in...do not be ME. (I'm pleased to say I did throw away a duvet cover, which still had life in it, that was hard but I did it)

They have GONE! Two bags of things for small boy and young girl have left my car boot and entered another household. Now just got to get the C4C away and a few pence in my pocket. Did I mention I gave some knickers and a onesie away on Saturday to a girl? Well, I did! I have also been sending books with no attachment to Dd's school as donations. I don't really ever let books go but, these were either donated to Dd or they have no 'meaning' to us iyswim.

This evening, a wash load on and hung to dry when done. Dishwasher emptied, refilled and put on. Cooked a filling for a pie for dinner though, I did not make the pastry; fresh veggies and new spuds. Did Dd's lunch for tomorrow and shouted at her a lot because she is so sulky, rude and lazy and will not help me.

Well done Nettle :) I found myself wanting your dragon teapot because I am a dragon. It's niggling me! But no, Solo does not need another teapot!

walked to charity shop with a big pile of gardening books; they wouldn't take them (too full) so walked to next one, and they took them..phew.

Also drycleaned a big bag of green baize wrappers for silver, which had terrible moth. That had been in the cupboard for six months since I put it in the freezer to kill the moth Dh's mother sewed them so I couldn't declutter them.. One of many ongoing sagas in this house..

washed some more of the laundry backlog
cleaned an old saucepan lurking in back of fridge
threw away some loo roll inners from bathrooms
changed sheets
decluttered the hats and scarves and gloves drawer. Put all the carrier bags in one drawer, and umbrellas ditto. Threw away some carrier bags.

not much achieved but at least I went for a walk. And put the swimming stuff back in the car neatly, and the swimming cards, which I found. I like the way that the way that when you declutter you find stuff.