The Hoarders Anonymous #5

[CherryMargo]

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Is your house/flat in a complete mess? Do you often feel overwhelmed and helpless when it comes to sorting it out? Do you procrastinate a lot? Do you struggle to declutter due to emotional attachment or decision-making fatigue? Are you embarrassed to invite people in?

Then you and us have a lot in common!

Join in for advice, encouragement and support. Here we share our struggles no matter how big, and celebrate our progress no matter how small. Welcome to thread number five! 🤗

P. S. Here are the links to various methods mentioned in previous threads:

The FlyLady Cleaning Method by Marla Cilley
The Organised Mum Method by Gemma Bray
The KonMari Method by Marie Kondo
The Getting Things Done Method by David Allen

Me too.
I've done my census forms wrong...but I got very confused. Not user friendly for more varied households is all I can say. DH filled me in, and then I ended up filling myself in separately then they asked for me to fill myself in again on DH s reference code...I've no idea what happened in the end or if I'm duplicated or not.

One pack of Easter eggs delivered to DD.
One shirt and one sheet scrubbed stains, left to soak again
One hairbrush returned to dd's room
One bin bag put in ds's bin and a couple of pieces of rubbish put in.

And about 50 minutes stripping wallpaper and washing old glue off ds's wall.

Coffee time then catching up with the thread.

🎇🎆🎇🎆🎇🎆🎇🎆🎇🎆🎇🎆🎇
🎇🎉🌟🎉🌟🎉🌟🎉🌟🎉🌟🎉🎇
🎆 🌟Well done to Babies for...🌟🎆
🎇🎉...finishing the bathroom! 🎉🎆
🎇🌟🎉🌟🎉🌟🎉🌟🎉🌟🎉🌟🎇
🎆🎇🎆🎇🎆🎇🎆🎇🎆🎇🎆🎇🎆

So pretty @BlackeyedSusan

Ahhhhh bugger that is not how it previewed

I have shopping coming later and I need to leave some energy for that. I will also need to cook tea, which is going to have to fit round shopping delivery and evening prayers and the arrival of ex to take shopping away. Tea would ideally use up old veggies before arrival of new. fridge is pretty full. Shopping is timed to deliver bread rather than fridge space. I am not good at this on line lark.

I use spare socks and old pants for floor cloths and mouldy window/wall cleaners. They get thrown away afterwards.

Sorry, scrolling back and replying to posts randomly as I have coffee, again and plan what is next and what energy I have.

@BlackeyedSusan Aww, thank you. I really love it :)

This afternoon I cleared stuff off the midway landing in the hall, cleaned the windowsills. Hoovered the top landing and bathroom, then mopped the bathroom.

Then I helped the DC3 & DC4 to sort out their shoes in the tray under their bed. We chucked them all. They need more shoes now, lol.
The DC3 & DC4 have school shoes, trainers for PE, and wellies that DO fit. I need to go through walking boots (which live under the stairs) to see if any of them fit.

So they might need walking boots (for cubs and scout hikes restarting later this month alongside DC2) and will need sandals and new slippers too.

DH put up a rail and curtains, so the curtain dividing the room is up, making DC1 is happy. The windowsill and window cleared and cleaned.

Then lastly I hoovered their floor and replaced the rug on the floor.
I decided to bring down the four boxes which need sorting to the living room, I know it is churning. But their room looks so much nicer without, them and I took your advice seriously aka to prioritise the kids rooms, bathroom and the kitchen first. I will be pushing DC2 to get his room tidy but I had a quick look and it is ok, just needs a quick hoover.

I discovered that in and around the boxes in their room DC3 & DC4 had been dumping their worn clothes, well it is my fault for not keeping on top of it, whilst I was ill. Anyhow. I have another 3 or 4 loads to do now. Boo hiss but I will get it done over the next week or so.
So I would class the girls room as complete!

My current room ranking taking 10 as perfect down to 1 being terrible
Kids Room A 9
Bathroom 9
Kids Room B 8
Halls and landing 8
Kitchen 7
Living room 3
Dining room 3
Our Room 1

I have a long way to go and I am literally having nightmares about our room but I will keep plodding on.

This is great, you are all doing so well :)
I'm sorry that I'm not very good at remembering who has said what; I'm not ignoring any of your comments at all.
Keep up the great work, and be well.

Chronic illness is not nice.
Everything seems to be a thankless task...see below!

Today I went to mums. Again. Mopped the kitchen, downstairs loo, sitting room (partially), and hallway. Vacuumed the hall, stairs, landing, mum's bedroom (not in that order). I had to move a lot of stuff from the landing so that the big chair being brought from the medi equipment could be put in mum's room, and moving the stuff revealed a very dirty mess behind these things, including dropped plant leaves and flowers. The man brought the equipment, quickly followed by mum's return home. I cooked dinner (I'd slow-cooked the stew overnight), mum was happy with dinner. I swept and vacuumed part of the conservatory. Everything looks so much cleaner and tidier.
I washed up and got Dd to dry up.
Got mum upstairs to bed. She's determined to sell up and buy a bungalow, so I told her a few things she has to do first (EPC, etc), but she thought I was talking rubbish, so I read out something on the internet...Oh yes! I was telling the truth then! I asked her if she is going to get a stair carpet, and she says yes, but only a cheap one. She'll need underlay and gripper rods too which will increase the cost.
So, out for 13 hours today, and nothing done for myself.
I'm off to bed. Going out tomorrow afternoon, so won't get much done tomorrow. I'm still washing up after every use of everything.

@Solo you got so much done, I've not kept up with the posts so I've missed what's happening with your mum, hope she's ok

Hi there. Can I join? I definitely need help and hand holding...... Wondering if I should go back to earlier threads and work my way through for tips. Suspect I will need to do it in tiny steps - otherwise will get overwhelmed and give up.......

@Bellaisoneluckywoman welcome, everyone is friendly here.

I've given my pantry cupboard a going over trying to get rid of the moths. I am fed up with them, really fed up. I think I've been half arsing it, I've tried to get rid of them but in a half arsed way. I really hate the moths.

Nettleskeins I ended up using the help number.

Babieseverywhere I love a bit of ‘got carried away.’

BlackeyedSusan You’re so right about not looking at the whole when it’s just overwhelming and focusing on either small areas or specific jobs. Love the graphic!

Solo You’re not going to have any energy left for yourself after all that, it’s not possible. Well done on getting your Mum's into a situation where she can get back home. It may be thankless in some ways, but the alternative wouldn’t give you peace.

Bellaisoneluckywoman Hello. Reading other’s situations and actions can help and may spur you on. It can also be procrastination. People use the thread in different ways; I’m currently focussed on de hoarding (and repair) rather than housework (which is going on around it I promise!) so my posts about recycling and rubbish are from reducing that, rather than household recyling/rubbish, to motivate me that I am getting somewhere with the thing I find the hardest.
Deciding where to start depends on individual circumstances and identifying what you need most or what your biggest issue is.

DownUdderer Ha! Moth No. 3 turned up here yesterday! All in the same area and all adult or close. If you haven’t already, check any dry goods you have carefully. The little buggers can be breeding in the center leaving little trace on the outside, until you shake it.

Am not sure two hours a day on sorting is going to cut it here, but it’s all I can guarantee. I swear it’s quite recently that I could get loads done in a couple of hours, but I just can’t anymore, and still end up aching so much regardless of pace. One carrier bag of mainly paper recycling.

Didn’t finish the chest of drawers, can’t find where on earth I've tidied away the glue!

Did however look at a couple of things that I’ve struggled over for years. Both where treasured and got damaged, then destroyed trying to fix them.
Found myself able to at least consider the possibility of throwing them away. That's something I couldn’t even think about before. So there's at least some mental shifting happening.

Hi Bella.

What to do first depends on lots of things. But doing anything will help.

Different writers start different places. One starts with cleaning the sink
One starts with going round collecting all the rubbish.

You just need to start.

Several people on here have disabilities or health conditions so do varying amounts depending on ability.

We all have different causes for the mess we are in so different solutions.
Different sorts of mess/hoarding/ other so need different approaches and starting points.

Me: autistic, hypermobile single parent of two disabled children suffer fatigue and pain if do too much. Live in a two bed flat and I sleep in the living room. The flat was getting renovated but kids with disabilities, single parenhood slowed everything down.

I suffer from it might be useful disease. And lack of time

Right, I am going to get up and do something...

I will comment on everyone else later when I have done something and having a rest....

(My sleep patterns are fucked)

Me too. I need to buy some drain unblocker. Went to shop yest, but it had closed down. Trying new shop elsewhere today. Just a.clogged.basin but need to tackle it!

Dusted some more picture frames this.am with an odd sock

Do you have a sink plunger? Worth buying, I plunge our sink about every two weeks or so. Depends on your pipes I suppose.

I started on the washing up. Got half way through and put some away. Stopped with back ache.just having breakfast coffee

Also started gathering the recycling now the food shopping has come in.

Started gathering washing ( ok, only one woolly, but so..)

Made breakfast for ds.

Ate the last few grapes from the box instead of letting them go mouldy as usual. (That one is very me specific, most people would not find this an achievement)

Doh, pressed post instead of return.

Solo, no problem about remembering who posts what. Use the energy that would require for you to recover from looking after your mum. Be careful not to burn yourself out over it. You are doing a lot and need a good rest every week as well.

Babies, I am intrigued. Great numbers, have you been relatively (compared to me) clean and tidy or have you brought that back from your bedroom levels? I may read back previous threads when I am not able to do much.

Right, coffee finished,will come back after more washing up and kitchen tidying.

Last night I finally washed up the piles of plastic by the sink so it could be put in the recycling.

I’m still trying to use up my food stash and the cupboards are definitely less jammed these days. I will always be a full cupboards type person, but hopefully in time I can get it down to a more manageable level. Not to mention making sure all the stuff is food we actually eat (eyes dart guiltily to the multiple tins of sardines in tomato sauce, multiple jars of capers and little pots of fish paste).

This morning I chucked/recycled about half a carrier bag’s worth of rubbish and papers from my desk while waiting for my computer to restart after a software update. A drop in the bloody ocean, but better than most days.

I’m extremely impressed by Babies clutter numbers for the different rooms.

Right. Almost finished the washing up...just found a plate! Get

Wiped down the clear bits of worksurface, cooker top and trivet.

Wiped more cupboard doors and fronts of appliances, washing machine door seal and drawer: so maintenance of what has been done before

Woolly wash on. Getting thermal base layer ready for seeing sil in the garden.

Tried to unblog drain with vinegar baking soda and hot water....no luck so,
Purchased Mr Muscle and poured down.
Did lots of grocery shopping with items that will encourage teens to cook instead of purchasing junk food...ie prerolled pizza dough
Cookie dough
Prerolled puff pastry for a pie

Bought varieties of tea to encourage me to invite friends to garden

Collected some rubbish from my bedroom, though it is still in a heap up there. Dusted chest of drawers. Bed has clean sheets yesterday.

Ran boiling water down bath and basin drain in downstairs bathroom to avoid further slow draining situations. Too much conditioner!!

Bought 6 pink window box begonias from Morrisons for £2 the lot to replace daffs in pots this summer.

Bought ingredients to cook mediterranean tart and banoffee pie from hairy bikers. Going to M with recipes in mind does help. I havent been there for so long, relying on delivery of veg and milkman, and corner shop. The choice in there is Overwhelming.

Our corner shop is a greengrocer deli butcher middleeastern supermarket so there has been no need to set foot in Morrisons but the range is subtly different in M fresh cream butter meat fish bread all varieties. More expensive in M too but a change of scene...