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

Over 2 hours to wash Dds hair. This is normal. And exhausting!

Cooked dinner. The end.

How are you all? Not sure what was deleted by MNHQ

When folding my clean laundry I noticed a pair of socks are about to wear out and I actually put them in the rag bag.

The same poster had posts deleted on lots of other threads, so probably just spam Solo. Well done getting the hair washing out of the way, sounds like an ordeal!

Solo does your daughter have long hair? Why does it take two hours? I'm too impatient for things like that. Maybe she has very curly hair, that can be more labour intensive.

I filled my green bin up yesterday, it's collected fortnightly. It'll be emptied on Wednesday, and I could easily fill it up again with leaves from the back garden. I want to buy an addition bin to fill up with garden waste. Sometimes I can't get a garden job done because the green bin is already full.

Last night I put out 3 more ads and boosted the others to the top of the page and deleted all the pointless "is it still available" messages that people haven't followed up on. I really dislike digital stuff it's so time consuming, but needs must. It's working and I sold quite a lot since I started. Can't see much impact yet, just a cupboard that looks like a normal cupboard now and not a hoarder cupboard with something packed into every square inch, plus the stuff cluttering up the garden has gone. I think I'll finish reading a magazine today just so I can recycle it. Every little thing helps.

Well, building work in full swing. Funny how they have all decided to come at the same time, both indoor and outdoor trades (not linked) now of course nowhere to park, and next door has decided to dig up his tarmac garden (elderly man downsizing, but as far as I can work out, bored enough to want to spend all hours erecting enormous sheds, digging up tarmac. His son is helping him

I've been replanting big shrubs that have been dug up for oil tank (thinks longingly of how nice it would be to be able to reorder a few quiet kitchen cupboards post nstead if being banished to shed etc) hopefully they will all leave at 4pm and then I can deal with dust.

Yes, Dd has long and curly hair that she doesn't look after. I have to admit that it twists around itself the second a brush leaves a section. It only gets brushed when it's about to be washed, and she can simply ignore it for weeks and weeks...then it is felted, and takes a long time to sort out. Yesterday was a lot easier than the time before but still took 2 + hours. I'll see if I can find a picture.

These are from years ago. Brushed out hair, and when it was much, much easier to care for (2015).

Solo, yes, very curly and long hair! It would be a full time job looking after it! One of my daughters has long hair, down her back almost to her bum. I prefer to put it in a plait so it doesn't get tangled! I would prefer to cut about 6 or 8 inches off the length, but she won't!

Nettleskeins, good luck with your workmen and the work they're doing.

I've bought a big black bin today, it'll be for garden waste. I want to sort some bits in the garden this afternoon..

I have two messy piles that need sorting out. I am definitely going to clean up one piles today. When it's done my hallway will be cleared.

I've done half of one messy pile! I'll have a litter sit down then look at it again!

*little

I've cleared more items from the messy pile.

I've hung out three clean sheets. I've put a load of towels on to wash.

I've hung out my towels and the hallway is clear! It's a miracle! A clear hallway, after months of it being cluttered with junk and shoes, coats and all sorts. It was a dumping ground and a clutter magnet and it's the first area you see when entering so I'm much happier now it's CLEAR!

Ostara Ambers spot on about accepting who you are and not judging yourself negatively for it. What’s simple for one person is a whole host of challenges for another. It’s just how it is.
Susan Maintenance is it’s own form of progress.
Miaowse well done. Great when it clicks. Thanks for reassurance on the deletion.
Amber Well done. Bit by bit, it will make a difference.
Solo Your poor daughter and you! I have ridiculous hair that has to be brushed through wet with oil or conditioner daily or it dreads. If it’s any use to know, I use Argon oil Heat Defence Leave in Spray (Poundland!) and a wet brush if I can’t fully wet my hair, and it stops it dreading.
Nettleskeins hope your builders have done a good job and vacated, leaving you in peace.
DownUdderer Well done! That looks brilliant. Bet it’s great to come home to.

Monday was an eventful day. Contractors boss came out and we negotiated. Or TBH he refused to see much of a problem, and there was a lot of disagreement. I gained some ground but to cut a long story short, the end result was someone came out delivered some more materials and left saying they’d be back in half an hour and didn’t return. Yesterday they claimed to be investigating what’s happened to their worker. Part of me’s slightly concerned that something really has happened to him, the other part suspects it’s rubbish and he’s off on another job!
Messages have been left with landlord, but no response.

So far I have a bodged job, an apparently coincidental soaking wet floor in a different room, and a mini scissor lift all left from last week, and a load of materials further blocking up the place this week making it nigh on impossible to get anything other than small boxes past it all, and six days left to have all rooms clear and everything accessible. Contractors were supposed to be a one-day job! (though tbh their scissor lift did rather come in handy to redo the light cables and fitting!)

Have done a.m. pet run and about to try and about to call contractors again, and based on that try and work out what to do when, and how to do it.

I've worn out a pair of boots so they've gone in the bin.

I've decided the best way to get the shoe hoard under control is to pick a favourite and wear them constantly, unless they don't go with the outfit. If I keep changing daily to a different pair on a whim, it's going to be years before any of them are worn out. My aim is to have only the amount of shoes/boots that fits on the absolutely enormous shoe rack. I have about 100 pairs and I've come to the conclusion this is unnecessary and frankly ridiculous.

My aim of wearing out the shoes/boots might also force me to the park more and therefore increase quality of life. Win win.

Somebody coming to buy/collect two items later, hopefully they turn up. These are consumables and will go off eventually if not used, so I'll be very pleased to see them off to a new home instead of landfill.

DownUdderer that hallway is blissful. Congrats :)

Elleherd hope you can get a resolution on the bodge job.

Solo your daughter has lovely hair. I second the recommendation for oil on curly hair. I use olive oil weekly. I also find leaving it too long until it's matted and brushing it to be counterproductive. I find it's all quicker to deal with if it's washed more regularly and combed through with a wide toothed comb whilst covered in conditioner. I use the oil and mousse as styling products and air dry. By keeping it in good condition and unmatted it doesn't take long to comb.

I've bought a new mop and mop bucket today.

I've shaken out a huge rug, it had lots of sand falling out! Sometimes we bring home a beaches worth of sand!

I have done the bathroom.

I need to get some laundry on.

I've had a sleepless night (or two) worrying about building work related decisions, but miraculously this morning I have made the decision to just leave everything for two weeks (I have to return home). I've swept floors and piled things up in the one room no one is changing.

Elle that is so stressful (not to say verging on criminal) B*llcjs to that!! G r r r on your behalf.

Down I love the sound of sand, and what an amazing clear hall!!

Amber shoes are tricky, there are so many different kinds needed, a bit like just one saucepan or one knife.

Nettle I think 10 is a nice number for shoes, but I've room to store about 16. I really don't need all that I have, I'm just a shopaholic! Hope your trip home goes ok and your family is well.

So how many shoes do you all have? If you don't mind saying, no pressure I'm just wondering what people think is a 'normal' amount.

DownUdderer Sand sounds really pleasant next to the mud that gets brought back here, but I’m sure it’s a pain really.
Nettleskeins hope the journey home isn’t for stressful reasons. Hopefully the two weeks will allow you to plan the building decisions more easily.
Amber Suspect I’m not much use as comparison, as shoes only worn occasionally as unused foot decoration out and about. (sat in a wheelchair and not using feet at all, so they never wear out.) I think I have six pairs in storage, and another pair here. If I’m not in the chair it’s currently huge unflattering black surgical boots attached to braces. (and crutches.) So glam!

Yesterday a different chap arrived and did a good part of the job. It’s not totally finished but I have a working toilet and bathroom. Hurrah!
He agreed that the wet floor in the other room does look more like a continuing leak than a spill that’s still drying but wasn’t keen to investigate past the obvious.
Talked to second set of contractors due next week, about the situation and pleaded not to be cancelled. Thankfully they’ve agreed to move the date, (won’t normally) so I’ve now got ten and a half days which takes some pressure off.
Good result, but then DC announced only time they can do lifting is this weekend and one day early next week, so had to rethink how I do everything yet again.

So far today: pet run done, joins in the new floor sanded down, basic box round new toilet built to store cleaning materials, and have painted the inside of it. Superficial clean up, but more needed when time.

Need to move lots that’s been moved to allow job to happen, which will free up boxes needed for boxing stuff up to get it to storage this weekend while I have help.

Last thing this evening after pet run, need to paint new floor, (and paint myself into my bedroom) so it dries overnight.

Not sure how far I'm going to get, am hurting so much already.

Amber I have walking boots, another pair of lesser walking boots, runners, slippers, two pairs of Greek sandals, a pair of black Mary Janes, a pair of black loafers, a fancy pair of Mary Janes with silver stripe, a pair of light blue leather summer shoes. And my trusty much loved Celtic sheepskin boots. That makes 11! I did just buy five more pairs cos I only had walking boots and sandals recently, so I used to have just six pairs. Hotter Shoes, or old lady shoes as DD calls them but my feet are size 8

That's kind of you Elle to enquire and yes it is quite stressful to be summoned home but I think I need to leave the potato patch and it will definitely help to have some "distance" from building work. I've consigned the disasters that may happen in my absence to the lap of the gods and I'm sure the builder is question is desperate to see the back of me. Today he promised not to fit the window upside down which I only realised was a joke half way through...

I've also discovered the source of a chronic leak which was making a mouldy smell from under floorboards and I can only say hurrah at least it isn't the joists. Linked it with rattling radiator. .and there was I assuming it was dry rot and dreading and putting off lifting carpet but if I hadn't been so scared I would have solved problem a lot earlier. (No one else seems to smell it .maybe plumbers and builders don't notice smells)

Elle I don't know how you are managing all this lifting and sorting from a wheelchair I'm sure DC is a great help but that must be so frustrating to know what you want done but not have the capacity to carry it out. What colour is your new floor??