Desperate Hoarder Needs KUTA

[BuffysFavouriteStake]

...or kick up the bum/butt if you prefer!

First time poster, and prepared for a roasting, but really need honest help.

I'm a hoarder. And big time disorganised.

Now for the big ask. Every forum I've been on seems to be more interested in the reasons for my issues. Frankly, I'm aware of them and trying to work them out.

What I guess I'm hoping for... and feel free to tell me IBU... is basic tips and encouragement for achieving the little things. They might seem miniscule to most, but to me they're a big step, and just someone saying 'well done' or poking me if I don't stick to my goals would be a MAJOR help.

If there are any like minded MNers out there, or you have any recommended threads/sites, I would really be very grateful. Thanks all.

Reading and learning. Great tips.

I was going to suggest taking photos - sometimes you see the extent of what you are dealing with in a photo far more clearly than you see with your naked eye. Then when it is cleared, you can see how you want to keep it afterwards, compare week by week to check if it's building up again.

I helped a neighbour deal with her hoard a few years ago, and she stayed on the wagon so to speak. She was motivated by knowing she would need to sell a few years later and felt really bad that the [laces she was looking at looked so nice compared to her house, but you don't necessarily need that sort of prize to keep your eyes on.

Don't feel bad about the buildup. It can creep up on people.

Start where you are, deal with one thing at a time.

Ooh, never thought about taking photos, great tip, thanks.

Lonely, you can do it

A huge thank you. This thread has been a lovely motivational encouragement with our decluttering. Things been a bit difficult as we all have the lurgy but managed to redo the kitchen drawers and more away. I've even freegled a tub chair to a young couple starting out. Photographs are a very good idea.

Fly Lady is all you need.

Or Marie Kondo which I am trying to do. Limited success so far but need to focus!

Often the problem is a feeling of personal connection or personal responsibility for the things. It holds you back from moving it out and sending it on its way.

Photos can depersonalise the stuff. As you work at it with the help of photos (daily or weekly), you can play the role of gradually improving the photos, getting the look you want as you deal with what is in the photos one thing, one day at a time.

Sorry for the late return, just wanted to say thank you all for your help and advice, it is really making a difference.

I might still be 3 steps forward 2 steps back, but knowing that I'm advancing (albeit sloooooowly) and its not just me in this situation has been a great kick...

Thanks again, hope to hear how you are all doing with the battle too

Cash for clothes is rubbish. Give it to a charity shop instead.

Start by putting similar things together. Put things that belong in a certain room (e.g. kitchen or bathroom) in that room. Not got much further than that.
If you list things on auction sites, have a limit on how long you are prepared to list them. You may well have 54 people watching and get no bids. If you've relisted and still get no bids send to charity shops.

I know this is quite a while after you opened this thread @BuffysFavouriteStake, this is how are you getting on? Poke :)

Any better, any worse, still the same? No judgements here

This is someone who come across the thread, has had help with hoarding from a mh team who cleared the decks but didnt help me address the underlying reasons.

Roll on a couple of years things were a lot worse as my physical health had failed completely but last year 2 lovely ladies came on board for an afternoon a week and we did a lot of work as i am waiting on work to start on a house to be adapted for me so will be moving prob before the year is out,

This time with other supports we have discussed the reasons why and how to get around it, what help i need in the longer term and ways to cope.

I was discharged from hospital mid May and have been fully bed bound at home for past 30 days as was at the end of what they could do at that time, so place is falling apart as carers time is very short 20 mins being the longest funded call, im keeping my eye to the future and an accessable home where i can move around with electric chair

The ladies who helped sort the place out so far signed me off their programme early in the year as knew i needed more support later on and my time on scheme was almost up so i am now a new start again so they are coming back in a couple of weeks to restart, i make the mental decisions and they do the physical inc getting stuff out of the house asap before i can change my mind

@smurfy2015

Thank you for the poke! Sorry to hear about your health issues, that must make everything so much harder, well done to you for keeping on with it. Can imagine it must be a massive help having a hand to get things out of your house straight away, that's always been one of the hardest bits to organise for me.

Well, things here are improving, very very slowly. I have days when I get nothing done and it all seems overwhelming, but there are a couple of excellent threads on here, declutters anonymous and getting rid of one thing per day being my faves. (Sorry, no idea how to do clicky links), and reading them gets me in the right headspace, even if I don't get much done physically, IYSWIM.

In fact, thinking back to how things were when I posted this thread, there's a surprisingly big difference. I have a clear and clean bathroom floor, rather than a pile of washing that the dogs kept trying to pee on . The hall is actually empty, so much easier to keep floor clean. The spare mattress has gone, and I can now access 2 wardrobes and 1 chest of drawers, so clean clothes can be put away. I've found my iron, so work uniform no longer looks as though I've slept in it. The kitchen drawers have been decluttered and cleaned, and are now things of beauty (well, to me anyway!!!) Much less stuff in there, so again easier to cope with. Lots of little things too, clothes that no longer fit to charity etc.

Er, wow, sorry for the essay, didn't realise how long that was going to be

Revisiting this thread has really made me realise how much has actually changed. Still a frightening amount to go, but I AM getting somewhere, so another big thank you, this has given me a big boost. I hope things go well for you, please keep me updated, and really hope your new house and move goes smoothly

Thanks for the update. Keep going and well done!