The Hoarders Anonymous #5

[CherryMargo]

Thread #1 | Thread #2 | Thread #3 | Thread #4

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

Nettleskeins I like the idea of a litter tray frame with plug. I also covert a 3 Automatic Self-Cleaning Litter Box EU - RobotShop litter robot! Your cupboard is going well and some churning is inevitable.

MsMMarple Welcome Come in and make yourself at home. Ignore the boxes!

BlackeyedSusan Glad you found some spoons. But I have to ask ”clean towel delivered to disembodied hand around the door” Someone sick at your house?

Please can I ask for some specific advice? How is everyone getting rid of stuff with the charity shops closed. I have a tub of charity stuff in my hall and it is attracting further clutter AKA everyone (DH and the kids) are pilling stuff on top of it! Tomorrow, I am sorting it back to charity stuff only and tap a bin bag over it but I really need exit strategies!

The gas man is coming tomorrow to service boiler. One way or another everything was going to end up coming out of the cupboard. At the back are my hoard of bathroom tiles (second hoard, the first I have dealt with)but tbh they are so far out of reach I don't feel they encroach on my "using the cupboard"...which was my goal. Now achieved!!

Definitely, goal achieved!

Exit strategies - I was going to try to put things to give away in the charity bins in Tesco carpark. I doubt they'll take everything, but they might take something. I've tidied a small corner of my lounge, which is a start. Going to work on the hall tomorrow. It's tiny, but has furniture which has been about to be given away for 18 months now. If I can get a piece of furniture out of the house I'll feel like I'm getting somewhere.

@Nettleskeins

The gas man is coming tomorrow to service boiler. One way or another everything was going to end up coming out of the cupboard. At the back are my hoard of bathroom tiles (second hoard, the first I have dealt with)but tbh they are so far out of reach I don't feel they encroach on my "using the cupboard"...which was my goal. Now achieved!!

Congrats on the achievement!

Exit strategies...I know this is fiddly and weather dependent but I find my neighbours often leave outgrown toys, household items outside the boundary (we all have low walls, I have a hedge) and often at school drop off people will take items. I put a china jar out and it has gone. Dh brought the picture in again...to "reuse the frame" you cant get anything past him!!!aargh

@Nettleskeins it's so hard for you to battle against your husband! I had a neighbour who had it the same way. They had a garage that they couldn't park their car in because it was full, and the wife was tidying it and aiming to clear it but the husband brought most things back in to the garage again.

I have been out and bought a flat pack shelving unit. It's called garage storage shelving, so it's metal framed and my aim is to get it in one of our cupboards. This cupboard is big but very awkward. I'm hoping to have some order in there. Baby steps. I think I can clear away some bits from my bedroom once that cupboard is a bit more sorted.

The amount some of you guys are managing to do is inspiring me. Thanks for sharing.

@Babieseverywhere, I meant to say we have a trolley that's very similar, we use it for beach stuff. It's great if you're dragging it. I'm not sure if it's as easy if you need to push it. It has two wheels that move and can change direct, for steering and two that are straight and fixed.

I've built my shelving unit! DH had to help me. I'm glad that's done. In the past I've bought flat pack and even months later it's not been put together. I've ripped the box up so it'll fit in our recycling!

I'm making progress.

I'm not sure what you can do with charity shop donations until the shops open up again. It must be really hard going.

I replaced a light bulb in my laundry room, it's only taken me about 6 or 9 months. How daft.

CherryMargo Thank you for the new thread.

Reporting back in after I made a stupid and bad mistake on Friday and effectively dropped 95% of my spoons down an inaccessible gap! Did myself enough damage to have to stay elsewhere flat on my back. Am now mobile but a bit battered and restarting today carefully.
I’ve been looked after and should be well rested and full of energy, but I’m quite exhausted from pain and badly broken sleep, and have lost three days so need to catch up, but without overdoing it.

Gently does it Elle
down good work with the storage unit and getting rid of box it came in!
Today the gas man came but too early and in a panic I asked him to come back another day to do the more stressful aspect of job...ie seeing into dd s bathroom and dealing with more complex stuff in kitchen. It was too much.for me letting him into those parts of house!!!!! Red flag on hoarder shame
Anyway he has at least serviced the combi boiler, and despite picking his way through filthy utility I survived the visit

Dh is blithely unaffected by all this. He has actually made a big VAT of carrot soup "to use up the carrots". He is so unbothered, I suppose it is a lesson to me to enjoy life more...
He is anxious about quite different things than me...hmm

The mess represents for me all this "work" cleaning and stuff I cannot do because im bogged down with sorting and clearing, or too embarrassed to have people round because of grime.

Im pinning a lot on getting stuff out, but maybe the way we "live" is also important. Carpe diem etc etc

Great thread thank you.

Ive thrown away (in bin!) a sponge bag, and an old clothes peg.
Ive swept some piles of debris in alley again. Small ones.
Ive used the feather duster and floor sweeper I discovered yest in the cupboard under the stairs. Dusted one piece of furniture very thoroughly for first time in ages.
A quiet day.

Ive also (id forgotten) got back to ground zero with the utility area, shook out and washed cat beds, scrubbed worktop, swept floor tiles, took few items of washing off line.and put them "away". Scrubbed sink halfheartedly.

Bathrooms still not any clean r than last week. Will await divine inspiration.

DownUdderer I could drag the trolley behind me, just worried about corners, lol. Well done on getting the shelving unit up and the bulb changed.

Elleherd Oh no, sorry to hear that. Hoping you feel better soon and there is no need to catch up, just carry on from where you left off. We don’t need to put our selves under more pressure, especially at the moment.

Nettleskeins Well done for letting him in and getting some of the work done. Deep breathes and one to cross off your list. Then in the future you can create a strategy to get the rest of the work done. You can do this! Plus great job getting to ground zero with the utility room too

Today I have…

I have reactived my Todoist App which I set up cleaning tasks on years ago and I used it for maybe 6 months. Any how. I added all four kids and my DH on it, so I can allocate them tasks too. The three oldest kids have their own phones and I am looking after my youngests chores. So lets see how that goes.

I finished clearing my last double kitchen cupboard. Only the under the sink needed sorting out. But it is fine and I REALLY need a break from the kitchen, I have already spent days in there!

Then I create a mega spreadsheet on my computer, which lists nearly all main food items by location aka which cupboard or fridge. Ignoring the freezer, as I can’t get out to it at the moment. It isn’t complete but it is enough to help me figure out what I needed to order for our delivery tomorrow. Food delivery done!

I also ordered some ingredients to make a free from non bake cheesecake. I am looking forward to trying to make it, even though I am rubbish in the kitchen.

Tomorrow will be tidy our hall and fill both of my dosette boxes with pills (which is hundreds of pills) and it take me a couple of hours. Then I want to leave my house and have a wander around the village, I haven’t been outside since Friday!

Thursday I will work on the living room and dining room and Friday I am doing nothing

@Nettleskeins congrats on the cupboard and surviving boiler service. While I felt very judged when workmen came, it’s important to remember it’s a while household problem so my DH is culpable too (although his shame threshold is extremely high).

Thanks for starting a new thread Cherry :) I couldn't find you all! And I still hadn't caught up fully on the old thread; do you have a link?

I've been doing some! I've sorted some paperwork, got a bit tougher on myself, and got a few more clothes to go. Not too much done, but certainly another start!

Hello to all the new people

@Babieseverywhere I’m in awe of your spreadsheet and curious about the app! I’m also working through a toy hoard and paring back and very much looking forward to a local FB group reopening when I have time off work at Easter. I’ve started writing use by dates on my calendar as I have a Tetris fridge like @BlackeyedSusan (a yoghurt jumped out today so kitchen floor got an ad hoc spot clean!).
I’m part way through designing my TOMM style weekly plan and hoping if I print and put out in the open others will see jobs they could do.
No big progress here but keeping on top of essential laundry and the day to day.

Hi @Solo glad you’re re-starting, always feel good when I pick myself up, dust myself off and do something.

@DownUdderer I have several flat pack items to tackle during time off work. Well done for tackling shelves quickly and the lightbulb - enjoy seeing it fixed every day.

Been attacked by progesterone today signalled by random crying this morning and legs which gave up walking properly after one and a half laps of the gardens, (approx 400 steps before conking out) typically at the furthest point from the door.

The two flights of stairs to the flat were interesting. Pulled both hips yesterday when trying to put flip flops on. The random crying tells me why...extra stretchy connective tissue. So I spent the day sitting on my arse doing projects with the materials I need to use up, though I managed two loads of washing and took things up or down stairs when I needed a bathroom break.

Disembodied hand was attached to a freshly showered body hiding behind the door.

Next part is going to be a bit like the thread equivalent of The Generation Game memory game:

Well done on getting stuff in the bin. (Not many would understand how difficult that is sometimes)

Lightbulb changing, kitchen cupboard sorting, shelf constructing cleaning a bit of a room and all other achievements.

Finally congratulations on gas man...

It's always interesting to see everyone's progresses and to read the sharing of ideas and kindnesses.

Nettleskeins, you've ticked one job off your list, getting your combi boiler sorted out. Worry about the other jobs another time.

I know the worrying uses more energy than the doing sometimes, we're probably all similar.

Sorry to read about painful legs and hips. That must be very tiring.

I've bought a can crusher. Our recycling doesn't always fit in the bin. I thought maybe I'd squash our cans and that might help. I don't know!

When I was putting my shelving unit into the cupboard yesterday, with help from DH. I was amazed because I'm terrible for doing half a job and not seeing things through. I replaced everything into the cupboard as well and I felt happy with then neatness. I can picture myself having left that project half way through and then getting into a big muddle with it, I've done it in the past! This time I finished off the job! It's pushing past perfection and being content with "done well enough". I have to write down here that I'm satisfied with a job well done because it helps me feel positive about it.

I've managed to stay on top of laundry this week even though it's been raining and that makes getting things dried difficult but I'm pleased about that as well.

MsMMarple ittakes2 DaisyDyson and anyone else I’ve missed. Hello
Babieseverywhere Exit strategies are really difficult at the moment.
Anything put down here is immediately used as a surface by others. I've previously used a box for charity shop stuff and put a crate on top of it so when they clutter the surface at least it's in the crate, and I can just pick it up to put more stuff into the charity shop box. Doesn't fix the exit problem, but allows you to keep gathering stuff ready for when you can.
I hear you about catching up and the pressure problem, but have to have enough out of here, even if temporarily, by a set date or will be in very big trouble, and I’m desperately behind in other areas of life and getting into deeper trouble on many fronts.
Nettleskeins Congratulations on getting the combi boiler done, and well done on getting stuff into the bin that might not usually hit it, as well as utility room. (Would love a utility room)
FiniteSagacity I put a magnetic whiteboard on the fridge door with use by dates as things go in. Has really helped
DownUdderer Well done on finishing the job. Can totally relate to half finished projects and them becoming muddled. Can crusher sounds good.
BlackeyedSusan Sorry you're having a rough time.
Don’t laugh but how do you close/make the larger version of the video go away after watching?

Yesterday, took out the wooden shelving units from within the wardrobe that’s started suffering damp. I’d initially cleaned them in situ and mildew spots that had started developing had come of, but left the wood mottled where it had been. Managed to sand them all down and got rid of the staining. Other things needed doing more but it made me feel horrible so…
Also treated and (hand) washed a few more affected clothes. So far everything’s been restorable to normal, so looks like I’m very lucky and got to catch it in time. Unfortunately, landlord still hasn’t addressed the water leak (or the tree) so have the wardrobe open and a heater on.