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

Good luck with the sink draining.

Boy fed.

More shopping wiped and put away.

New pillowcases on my pillows. Been tidying a bit of floor next to my bed, though that does not feel like that counts.

Radio is wall to wall coverage of Prince Phillip's death.

I can only think of my fleeting glumpse of Matt Smith in The Crown..which I havent watched properly, although ds1 says the bit where they send Charles off to school made him (ds) cry

Glimpse

Im going up to check the dreaded drain now!

Miowse Capers! Drool! One of my must haves. Great on cheese on toast, and with a bit of black pepper will turn a basic white pasta sauce into something nicer. Well done on the paper, every bit helps.

Nettleskeins in case it’s useful in the for future: Poundland do a surprisingly good £1 drain cleaner. It makes pouring money down the drain slightly less painful.

BlackeyedSusan Now why does tidying a bit of floor next to your bed, not feel like it counts?

Went past the public bins last night, and they’d finally been emptied and cleared up from the bank holiday madness. Went past them today and they were almost full again and it isn’t even the weekend!
So thought I’d be clever and hit the garden while the sun was out and managed to chop one black sack of tree branches and gather another black sack of rubbish from what’s suffered damage from the tree falling. Got to the bins and managed to just squash them in. However didn’t get much else done inside before pain ended play.
I daren’t keep going or I won’t be able to use the potential help over the weekend.
Have been onto the landlord again about both the tree, the fence (under it) and water still coming down from upstairs, which is now damaging the render, but not holding out much hope for swift action.

Maybe my weekend goal should be to crack open a jar of capers thanks for the ideas @Elleherd - I was imagining putting them on home made pizzas and making puttanesca sauce but somehow never got around to it.

Tries not to drool even more at homemade pizzas and puttanesca sauce!

Solo Glad your DD is helping out with your mum.

Bellaisoneluckywoman Nice to meet you. I wouldn’t read past threads, just jump in, Tell us anything you want and if you want tips, just ask!

DownUdderer Good luck with the moths

Elleherd It doesn’t have to be 2 hours, just having a mental shifting is a positive step in the right direction. Be kind to yourself

BlackeyedSusan When we moved to this 3 bed house in 2005. The entire second bedroom was packed with extra stuff, nearly to the rafters (a solid 1) As we had two houses into one scenario.

Then four kids followed in just under 6 years! I struggled with the clothes and toys. Until I established a 6 monthly sort for the kids clothes/books/toys. Other room numbers were around 5 and 7’s I guess at this time. Cluttered but clean, as I would lift everything to clean under everything, including my pile!

Meanwhile the second bedroom had been sorted out after a fashion, to put kids in it and the reminder of that room was a massive pile moving into our room. Full of emotional previous/memories aka really hard to deal with things, so I didn’t.

My numbers were fairly good (except our room, which I regularly sort and re-pile when we couldn’t walk around the bed!) up to 2018.

But during lockdown one in 2020 I fell to pieces, I got really ill and virtually did nothing in 2020 and 2121 until I re-joined this thread. I am still struggling with needing a wheelchair and all the medical rubbish, I am finding things very hard. I need a challenge and getting my house straight is one, getting a job is another and getting back driving is my third. Three goals to achieve in 2021.

I was lucky that throughout the last couple of years my wonderful husband was feeding all the family, doing the laundry, emptying the bins, taking me to hospitals and holding down a full time job! But I could hardly ask him to clean on top of everything he was doing.

So with the exception of our room, that I really don’t know if I am emotionally ready to do, I know I am able to catch up in the other rooms, as I have done it before and the kids help me with all their stuff. Plus I am having the kids do more jobs around here too, things I struggle with like emptying the recycling bins for me.

So I am slow, have to clean from a perching chair, often tired but whilst the kids are home to carry things up and down for me I can get a fair bit done. My biggest challenge is our room, that I will have to do on my own

Miaowse Thank you, I was on the earlier ‘Hoarders’ threads, they really helped me. Had I not got ill I might even have finished! Using a food stash will save you food money which is great.

Nettleskeins Your mediterranean tart and banoffee pie sound lovely. Everyone is gardening. I might see if I can get some wild flowers seeds to scatter in my front garden.

Today I have…
My daily jobs.

DC3 & DC4’s piled up a load of boxes, some in the dining room and some in the living room. Cleared the dining table mainly DC3’s art supplies and the second sofa from various boxes. Hoovered the main parts of the floor. At a quick glance it looks much better but a second glance shows the boxes piled up. So mainly I sat down today and watched the kids tidy, I was too tired to do more.

However I am planning on making free from salted caramel cheesecakes tomorrow

I found a bag of charity stuff behind the chair. Shame there is nowhere to take it yet.

Some impressive efforts going on here at the moment, well done everyone.

Today I don't want to do anything. I forced myself to do a few small things earlier and in a moment I will force myself to do something useful.

I've filled a bag ready for the charity bin that I found the other day. Just knowing where the charity bin is has been positive for me.

I've put the shelving unit into my sons wardrobe. His wardrobe will be more useful now.

I have sorted some trash and some recycling, I ripped up my flat pack box. I have tided a small area of my bedroom.

All small jobs, but literally better than nothing.

Ok. I got up off my bum and cleared an area of bedroom floor. It's an area that's needed doing for far too long, I've been ignoring it. I'm glad it's done. I even hoovered it. I pushed past procrastination. The bedroom isn't finished yet. I'm much closer to getting it done.

DownUdderer I am insanely jealous about your patch of bedroom. Well done

I have emptied dishwasher, put on a load of laundry and just about to go and make cheesecakes whilst everyone is still asleep...zzz

Just got to do my daily jobs (hoovering, litter trays) and the beds. Then I have done everything for Saturday

That looks awesome DownUdderer

Not a huge amount done here yet:

• dishwasher emptied & all items put away
• dry clothes folded (but the empty airer is still up).
• three piles of clean clothes taken upstairs & put away
• coffee made

Next

• finish coffee
• put airer away (don’t usually bother with this but it makes the kitchen seem much bigger)
• put on a load of laundry
• take final pile of clean clothes upstairs & put away
• order one (much needed) thing online so I don’t waste any more time deliberating and researching the options.
• call a friend
• wash up my pans by hand
• put the pans in the cupboard rather than on the hob
• wipe hob
• tackle the big mess that is usually hidden by the airer

Finished cheesecakes, they are in the fridge setting. Now off for a short lie down.

Then I need to change all the beds with the kids helping. Hoover and clean litter trays.Shower.

Finally relax until Sunday afternoon!

Miaowse Sounds like you have got loads done in the kitchen. :)

I had to throw away a few things that moths had got at. I've done more wiping and checking today. I'll get rid of them I'm feeling determined!

Thanks Nettle and Susan. I'm putting off worrying about the matress for now, bought a couple of eu size fitted sheets and will just enjoy my new matress without worrying about the frame.
Other progress has been made; high chair, car seat and assorted other rubbish gone with the old mattress, the cot given away via young Planet and a load of huge stones, stone planters and bags of gravel given away via gumtree. A whole brown bins worth of bamboo roots dug up too, although plenty more to go.
Housework totally got to pot while I worked on the garden though (can't take all the credit, Dh had the week off and did most of the digging).
I've not caught up on the thread, will try to have a read later.

Time spent on gardening has its rewards for the whole of the summer in our house.Glumy' and mud not coming in saves so much housework in the longterm. Bamboo roots are Hercules level task! Someone must have loved those rocks too (imagines rockery)
Down yes for bedroom floor
Dh has removed rest of water from our basin. Pipe is resisting uncoupling though.
Ive yet to make the banofee pie but the mediterranean tart ws v tasty esp leftovers for breakfast.

Im admiring my clean landing and clear hall daily. Dd is doing her best to ruffle it up a bit but it is easier to just gently relocate her debris now it is rationalised..

A bit of progress:

• finish coffee - DONE
• put airer away (don’t usually bother with this but it makes the kitchen seem much bigger) - DONE
• put on a load of laundry
• take final pile of clean clothes upstairs & put away - DONE
• order one (much needed) thing online so I don’t waste any more time deliberating and researching the options.
• call a friend
• wash up my pans by hand - DONE
• put the pans in the cupboard rather than on the hob - DONE
• wipe hob - IN PROGRESS (wiping done, soaking supports etc to try and sort stubborn stains)
• tackle the big mess that is usually hidden by the airer

So new list is:

• put on a load of laundry
• call friend
• finish hob
• rehome as much as possible from the big mess
• sweep kitchen floor
• place my online order
• make lunch

On Babies' suggestion, I'm going to ask for a tip on what to do with BOOKS...... I have not only my books, but books from my father and even grandparents... I want to keep loads of them -but not all. I looked at WeBuyAllBooks, but sounds like they don't take all books and you can waste loads of time scanning barcodes etc. only for them to be rejected. Also - what to do with very old books (that might be worth something). Loads more questions for you clever people - but will start with that!

One of the issues that complicates things for me is that I really hate waste and the environmental angle of just chucking stuff that will end up in landfill. So I end up making endless piles of stuff - some for eBaying, some for charity shop, some for tip etc. Then they just sit there.......

Bellaisoneluckywoman I half-heartedly looked into selling books, but the amount offered by the sites I checked was so small (pennies) and I knew a charity shop could sell them for more, so I figured they could have the benefit. I gave my most recent donations to oxfam and signed up for gift aid, they send an email once a year to tell you how much they raised which is quite nice. I doubt it will be much this year as the shops have barely been open.

I know some other posters have had good success with selling. I’m too disorganised to sell privately but you’d probably get more money that way.

I tend to offer children’s books to school first and our last school had a swapping library with books for all ages. I expect that kind of thing is on hold at the minute, but it was a great idea.

Forum Book Auctions might do "lots" of old books if you are in London.
Most local auction houses have a book department...some grander and snootier than others.
Secondhand bookshops or dealers might buy job lots of old books but would pay very very little per book unless they are rare modern first editions..ie Evelyn Waugh.
Try looking at local book auction (rare or modern) catalogues to get an idea of what things have sold for.
I personally just give books away to charity shops or to friends because it is a such a weight lifted to pass them to someone who enjoys them. I feel I have had my moneys worth and someone else can deal with them...that is of course excluding family heirlooms that are collectors items...but only a bit of research can tell you that.

Ive unloaded top layer of.dishwasher
Hung out sheets on bathroom radiator with window open.
Aired a dampish just washed and dried duvet cover.
Let my new begonia plants soak before planting.
Attempted to find the right adjustable spanner for back of basin. Not located in tool box.
Gone back to bed after morning walk. Dog is asleep on the bed too! Freezing in my bedroom.