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.

Three sick kids! That’s the worst :( I hope they get better soon.

Solo, we’d be liable for the rent if we move out before the end of our current contract, we can pay to advertise the flat and get new tenants, but I suspect the landlord will gladly put the rent up $100 and get new people in. Our flat is in a block and upstairs neighbors pay $800 or $850 a week to live there, we pay $700. It seems like neighboring flats get snapped up pretty quickly so we’re not too worried. We’re in the Sydney metropolitan area so property is all pretty crazy. We come from the SW of England and grew up rurally so it’s been quite weird getting used to ‘London’ prices over here!

I dropped three bags into a charity collection bin today. That felt like a good job done.

I lost my temper with DH on the weekend. He wasn’t on the same page as me for the timescale I was picturing for getting some jobs done in preparation for getting all packed up. He couldn’t understand that when he said ‘in a minute’ to me I felt ignored and then ten minutes later he still wasn’t helping so I got very miffed. Anyway, we did manage to make progress so that’s good.

Moving is so stressful isn’t it. I honestly think it can put a strain on the healthiest of relationships.

I’ve been feeling pretty rough today, nausea and headache. We have ploughed through a lot of bags and boxes of random crap though. Lots in the bin and lots more for charity (which can’t leave the house until Saturday, wish we had a car to stick it in!)

I can’t believe how easy it was to throw a lot of it out. Makes you wonder why the fuck we kept so much for so long, in such uncared for conditions... why?! How much misery have we caused ourselves with clutter when it mostly meant fuck all anyway?

Ah well. Forward. Progress. New start and all that.

I will never let the new house get like this. I have learnt too much from this experience. I think if we’d moved a couple of years ago we would have squandered the opportunity.

Oh my gosh! I’m reading words that I could have written myself! I’ve filled up a big bin bag today from my daughters room. I spent three hours cleaning in there. It’s a small room. It’s really sparkling now! I chucked away loads of bits and pieces and it felt good to get it sorted.

I’ve just had a hot shower and scrubbed and scrubbed so that the shower and bath are sparkling. It smells all fresh in there.

The new house has carpets in the bedrooms so I’m going to have to remember how our Hoover works. It’s a bag less one and I’ll have a look for YouTube videos of how to clean the filter!

I’m glad it’s not just me! I’m horrified at all the wasted time and money and stress but we must just learn from the experience and move on.

Well I am properly pissed off today. It was Ikea delivery day. The Caglets’ beds and the kallax for the living room. DH went over to receive it and I was just about to leave to join him when I got a text saying they’ve postponed till the fucking 20th 😡 that’s the day before we move in!

I feel all flustered. DH thankfully less so, he decided to do some of the strimming in the garden anyway since he was there, and they’ve also unpacked some of the plastic tubs that were over there with books and board games (the stuff that was going on the kallax). So that stuff is piled up and they are bringing the empty boxes home. So will continue packing and sorting now.

How’s everyone doing? We’ve had a friend helping with their car today, also had the piano moved. Good lord the grime in this house is horrific. :(

Lots of stuff leaving the house which is good. Starting to reach the point now where the remainder of unsorted stuff will just have to be shoved into boxes. But it could be a lot worse, and I’m hoping we can sort it so that said stuff can be in lidded boxes and stashed away while we unpack everything that is definitely being kept first, if that makes sense.

You’re making forward progress Caglio! This is good:) and you’re making plans, this is also good :)

We can only do what we can do!

I’ve had the kids home for a week and they’re home for another week for school holidays. I’ve done no packing at all, just can’t face it!

I’m sure I’m going to be just filling boxes willy-nilly as the move day gets closer.

Our new place has built in wardrobes so I’m hoping that will help. We don’t have enough cupboards at the moment.

I guess I’m hoping that ‘everything has a place’ in our new home. I seem to not be able to think where something should live, so instead of putting it away it often gets dumped somewhere.

Just dropping in to give an update.

On the bright side, I have decorated half the downstairs hall and stairs. But yet to start the landing, as I decorate in sections and start that bit next week.

Plus I pulled out everything out of all the kitchen cupboards and reorganised things and repacked cupboards. But I am left with two bags of Tupperware to sort through.

I have found kitchen, living room and dining room and hall. But in doing everything else all the bedrooms are a real mess.

So I am both very pleased and very sad at the same time. Go figure, lol :)

Well. We are officially in. Moved yesterday and spent today cleaning the old house up (more of that during the week).

Stuff everywhere in New house but it's soooo much bigger! I am really looking forward to unpacking but the old house has to take priority until we give the keys back.

Babieseverywhere I think that as you reorganise and redecorate then there is a stage while it’ll feel like it’s more messy than ever! Your kitchen sounds good though! Reorganised!

As I’ve packed up boxes and taken some furniture apart it all feels chaotic and more messy! Argh

Caglio I’m glad you’re in the new place! The cleaning of the old place will perhaps feel easier now it’s empty.

I’ve not done any packing in a fortnight because the kids are on school holidays. But I’m really going to have to get boxing up!

The bathroom needs cleaning, the floors need sweeping and there’s many more jobs, I must crack on with cleaning jobs. I’m really not feeling focused today though:/

It really shocked me how small the old place is now that all our stuff is out! It looks absolutely tiny and the first thing I said was how the hell did we manage?!

We packed a lot properly and got rid of absolutely loads before we left and yet we still ended up with loads of bags and boxes just stuffed with any old thing. Heaps of laundry etc to do too.

Can you get the kids to help? I can't remember their ages. I apologized to the kids that it would be a really boring few weeks but that them helping would make it quicker, they've done pretty well really and were even on hands and knees scrubbing the old kitchen floor yesterday.

It is definitely easier to clean an empty house! It really brought it home to me actually how bad it is to have too much stuff, also how I need to actually clean as I go - there were so many little marks etc that I just left and overall it made the house horrible but they literally took seconds each to scrub off, so why didn't I do it at the time?!

Anyway. I have woken up in epic pain flare mode. Sigh. Inevitable TBH so I'm not sad about it (I am too happy with the house to feel sad!) as I got loads done yesterday. It's frustrating as I have had to stay home instead of helping at the old house for another day but at least I can keep the baby out of the way while DH and the Caglets get more done. Hopefully I will be better by Wednesday to go back again. Want to get some laundry and washing up done if I can (too many boxes etc for Cagletini to crawl about safely downstairs) but she's asleep right now so I'm resting.

I often think ‘I wish I could just keep on top of it all’, like you said Caglio. I don’t think I’d ever stop though! But I’ve packed a couple more boxes today. I’m pleased with that! I’ve sorted the bathroom quite well, lots of jobs done (bleached ceiling, scrubbed out cupboard and drawers). I’ve done two loads of laundry today. I’ve wiped down cupboard doors in kitchen.

We move in 4 weeks time and I can’t wait!

Rest up Caglio and get your strength back.

I am back from our family holiday and for the first time ever, we came back to a tidy house !

Usually it looks like a bomb has hit it, as we throw things in bags and stuff them in the car before leaving.

This year I wrote and followed a list for packing. Pre ordered food to arrive at the caravan, when we got there. Plus tidied and cleaned house downstairs before we left.

What a difference it makes to come back too.

It has inspired me to get to the same stage upstairs. So I have 12 months to break the back of the three bedrooms, ours being the worst by a mile. (Bathroom and landing are fine)

Babieseverywhere, that sounds great! Our place is always a mess after packing for a holiday!

Thank you :)

TBH it is a big mess with all the bags to unpack...but I want to unpack properly and that might take a while.

Well done babies!

We've lived here over 2 weeks now. Not got much more unpacking done as we haven't got furniture to use, but ikea is delivering Thursday (unless they fuck us about like last time). This will be hopefully enough to get most of the rest sorted. Not necessarily in the right order but we can at least get the rest of the books and toys away, and then we will know exactly where we are.

Am enjoying cleaning the nice big house and am getting better at it. Having a lot of pain issues though so trying to rest too. Heat isn't helping either!

:)

Don't know how long I'll be back as my laptop is poo! And I'm back to work on Monday after having 3 weeks off and not a thing achieved at home. You all sound great though :)

We’ve got two weeks to go until we move into the new place! We’ve got boxes and bags everywhere! We’ve had 4 viewings, so I’ve been having to clean and tidy so much! The bathroom is sparkling! I’m really happy to be getting closer to move day. It’s felt like a release to throw away anything broken or awful and to charity shop bags of stuff.

Being forced to clean for viewings is quite strange. On one hand it’s great having and outside imposed deadline, it focuses my mind and I can prioritise jobs and get the place looking good, while on the other hand I hate it! But I can see why people have routines for house cleaning.

Hi All, have been lurking for a while but would love to join in this is definitely my kind of thread so I've plucked up the courage to say hello :)

I'm not a hoarder as such however I'm constantly trying to declutter, tidy and organise my small house with next to no storage. Love making a good list or two!
Problem here is very clingy DD age 2 going through autism assessment and has sensory processing issues. I just don't have the time to be as clutter free and organised as I would like my house and life to be and so I'm hoping this thread will support and inspire me in equal measure!

Welcome apple! My older two have autism and it certainly adds an extra layer of difficulty with decluttering etc. I feel wrung out dealing with their needs TBH. Glad you have joined us! Remind yourself that even if you can't do a big declutter, every single bit that leaves the house is a win, however small.

Exciting stuff down!

Booo at laptop solo.

Coming up to four weeks here now. Furniture built and we unpacked a bit more but we are now at the stage where we don't know what to do with what's left and we need to reorganize a bit better.

I have been inspired to empty a few more boxes though as a friend is moving so the more I can give her when she comes round on Thursday the better.

Pain flare worsening though so not being very productive.

Welcome applepatch :) we can try. Lots on here much better that I am. I'm no nearer getting anything sorted but, there are some good, determined posters on here.

Down it sounds like you are doing well :) Keep up the excellent work!

How is everyone else?

Oooh! I should've refreshed before posting.

Cag :) you are getting there very well! 4 weeks!! Wow!

Hi to applepatch, we’ll certainly be thrilled for you even if you only manage small steps!

I spent ages yesterday cleaning under my bed. I’ll be honest, there was 6 years worth of dust under there. Awful awful awful. It’s been an area for me to stuff things and not to think about them. I have laminate flooring and the dust was immense. I had to wipe things down with damp kitchen towel because the dust was going everywhere! The bed is just a smidge too low for me to fit under it, so I had to squeeze and stretch and push things out with a broom handle! I made a mop wet and managed to clean (sort of). I washed off a holdall and was glad it was windy outside so it dried off quickly. So it was a horrible job, but it’s mostly sorted out now. I’m honestly thinking that I should not store stuff under my bed again.

The windy weather has been great to get the laundry all dried. I’m getting close to the bottom of the laundry pile!

I’ve wiped down quite a few walls, it’s not until you get up close that you notice all the mucky marks. I’ve found cif cream cleaner excellent to get even pen marks off the walls!

My stuffs all over the place at the moment and it's not helped by the lack of storage. I've purchased some plastic storage boxes and hope this will give me a start to stack em high (not really). I'm planning to store some of my items in the basement. Any tips to ensure that it won't get destroyed?

I've gotten rid of 3 bags full of stuff to the charity and on the way to filling up the next one. It's so slow going and I think deep deep down I may know the reason why sigh

I've started using an app Home Routines which I've found amazing for the daily jobs and it lets me do the standard things and tick them off to feel smug accomplished, so I can then look to other things! Managed a declutter of a box in the conservatory of DDs stuff the other day so I'm happy with that

Small steps!