Hoarder's Anonymous, Part 6

[Solo]

Well, here we are embarking upon part 6 of our epic journey of sorting out our homes.

We are a varied group of likeminded householders that are leading somewhat challenging lives; be that living with too much 'stuff' that we find difficult to deal with, houses that are falling apart (mine included), health issues within the family unit, wider family, or ourselves that makes sorting out our households challenging, to say the least. So...

Anyone and everyone is welcome to join us for support, adding their own ideas to help others out, storage ideas, even tips on actually getting those items out of the house which sounds so simple when you say it. Encouragement abounds here, and we do not criticise. EVER! We even try not to criticise ourselves as it's not helpful to anyone.
If you are feeling overwhelmed, don't know where to start, can't be bothered but really do want to be bothered...think you are lazy, just need to see it in print here...we'll help. We'll virtually fist bump your achievements - small or large, and virtually hug you when the need arises, and if you want a hug, just ask because we are here for you. Here for one another because we get it - the highs and the lows, the art of washing up is sometimes our great achievement of the day, but it's still an achievement.

Welcome to thread #6 of Hoarders Anonymous - Carrying On Sorting It Out

HERE

Babieseverywhere well done on your determination and creativity customising cushions, and you don’t have to explain, but I hope you’re also talking to mobility service technicians because if your chair’s doing that to your body, somethings amiss.
Sing To The Sky It is amazing how much mounts up.
Solo Sorry about the neck. Constant pain is debilitating.
Susan I have two flowerpots whose soil is entirely from what fell out of the DC’s wellies. Stealing the park one spoon at a time.
MedwaymumofMany Hello. Food is definitely a ‘hoarder wormhole to disappear down’ and many of us are likely as not genetically programmed to do it!
DownUdderer So pleased to hear your Dad’s Ok! Horrible for you all to be in that position.

Yesterday was just small amount of hand washing and more garden lopping. Apparently, the weather’s about to change so thought I’d get as much as possible done while I can. Big pile chopped down to one sack. Still nowhere to dispose of any of it, wondering if I should look into compost accelerators...
Very limited at what and how right now, several joints have swollen, and I’m really stiff all the time which I’m trying to work through but not exacerbate. One of the projects I need to complete has kindly tacked an extra fortnight on the end which is appreciated! Today I’m off to see someone about some possible work while trying to look pain free and competent!

@Elleherd In our area, wheelchair services will only provide a manual chair if you cannot stand up with crutches with further restrictions on power chairs provision

As I am lucky enough to pull to standing with double crutches and walk 6 or so steps (in difficulty, pain and probably fallen over by then, due to damaged leg nerves) I get zero help from wheelchair services.

They even declined my request for them to measure me and give me an idea of what to look for in a chair.

So we self funded a 'cheap' folding powerchair (£3.5k) and I make do with pain, bruising and indentation in my legs. At least now I can get out the house and take my kids to school. Visit my parents. Things could be so much worse. I am blessed with my family

Another book read yesterday and it’s probably going in the charity shop box.

I hoovered the floor of the study and it instantly looks a million times better in spite of still having piles of stuff everywhere.

I may do another charity shop run tomorrow if I have time as I have a bulky item I want to donate plus a bin bag of clothes, a smaller bag of rags and a mixed box of books and kitchen items.

Otherwise very little done. Hope everyone is making progress - personally I’ll feel more motivated once the weather breaks as it is just too hot to do anything but sit and eat ice cream.

Down I'm so happy to hear your Dad is much better. It's such a worry when elderly parents are around the corner, but the other side of the planet must be something else entirely.

I've done nothing today - not even cooked. I fell asleep again on the sofa this afternoon. I'm in pain in so many parts of my body, my neck and hands are the latest. The joys of getting older I guess.

You are all doing so well.

I'm making a mental list of jobs I'm going to get done tomorrow to make sure our house looks ok for air con workmen on Monday. I can tell you that 6 months ago every room was like a disaster area! At the moment some areas are untidy and some could do with sweeping or hoovering.

I just want to feel happy that each room looks tidy. So I'll do some picking up and putting away, throw away trash, take out recycling, laundry. Sweeping, hoover, clean toilet and sink.

I will definitely think of rewards for myself! I can only do housework if I know I'm going to reward myself with a snack or watching 15 mins of tv or something like that!!

I've been busy today. I'm tired now! I've not done every room though, so I'll do some more tidying and cleaning tomorrow.

I managed to get a refund on a rug I returned this week, so I'm pleased with that. Today I took a mop back to get a refund, I've only used it three times and it's broken. So I've bought a different mop!

I've started a little composting box. I've never had one here at this house so I'll see how I go, but it feels good to avoid some bits going in the big bin.

Well done down you’re doing brilliantly!

I’ve stalled on the decluttering. I think I just need to remove all expectations of myself for a few days each month. I hate being a woman sometimes. 😡

Happy to announce I have finally finished reading the previous thread and caught up on this one! 😁

Solo how’s the pain today? 💐
Down I am glad things are getting better with your dad 💐
Nettle thank you for the pet suggestions BTW - horses definitely not on the list 🤣
Miaowse you are powering through that reading pile! It’s inspiring me - for some reason I read lots at the start of the year, but have stopped (same with watching dramas on TV oddly) and I am ready to start again as you’ve been mentioning it!
Elle I hope the conversation about work went well and that the joint pain is improving.
Susan stolen any more park lately? 😁 Hope you’re ok.
Nordic totally agree about counting what you do achieve! Might post more on that later as I’ve been writing down the little areas of my house I’ve managed to sort so far.
Babies I’m so sorry you couldn’t get help with a wheelchair, that’s abysmal 😡 I am glad you are able to count your blessings though ❤️
Medway welcome! We’ve been using up a bit of a food stash too. I never really know how much is a right amount to have - there were times in lockdown one where we struggled.

We are missing some regulars so far here? Not sure how to tag without them already being on the thread. Clara, cherry etc? Hope all absent hoarder buddies are ok.

SingToTheSky I just totted up and I’m on my 16th novel since I started making a concerted effort to read more. We have four wide billy bookcases on one wall and they are jam packed and doubled stacked. Ideally I’d like to pass on enough books to charity that the remaining books fit comfortably (and are ones I love or find useful).

We also have many hundreds of children’s books in baskets, expedits and tottering piles all over the house.

I'm tired out again after getting quite a lot done today. I've mopped, swept, cleaned, tidied and done laundry. I sewed up a towel this morning. Just making the towel a bit more life.

I still need to hoover bedrooms. And I just need to check on the back garden, I might need to tidy away some branches. I think I'll just sweep the front verandah.

I have pushed myself today to do jobs I didn't want to do! Future me will be glad I've done them though.

When I tell myself that future me will be glad I've done something it really motivates me! So daft, but it works. I have just been on another cleaning mission. My bedroom is getting so close to being exactly how I want it. My en suite is considerably nicer. I started writing a list of what I wanted to achieve tomorrow and then I just tried to cross a couple of things off this afternoon instead.

Future Friend is something I’ve got better at lately. It really does help doesn’t it!

I’m going to write a big to do list today, not planning on focusing on decluttering for the next couple of days as I was so focused on that I let other important stuff slip 🤦🏽‍♀️ and then burned out a bit. So must stop procrastinating over lots of things.

glad you dad is recovering down.

it has been too hot to do much and too hot to log onto the computer.

today the kids have gone to respite overnight so there will be lots of resting and some trying to tackle dd's room to make it habitable. I think I will be popping on and off to update. I will try to read a couple of posts at a time as well to catch up. (apologies) I do need to list achievements.

there was an interesting thread on feminism chat about the thinking/planning jobs in a house hold for when we feel we have not done much.

I was moaning yesterday that I had done nothing all day... ie i had not done the thing i want to concentrate on which is decluttering and cleaning and decorating... forgetting I had done stuff like laundry washing up and shopping organising delivery putting away etc. and sorting out things like respite and when we are taking ds to eat out with family for birthday and when we are visiting mum and .... etc etc etc.

so today:
packed for respite.
breakfast for ds.
found clear pencil case for dd's exams and nagged her to sort it out pre monday
emptied the detritis from the crisp packet bag which was sorted yesterday.
put the recycling in the sack (rinsed some and put some in from the box in the hall)
gathered the loose binbags and stuffed into the binsack carrier bag.
fetched dd's recycling from her room and p[ut most of it in the recycling sack
packed swimming bags. (with the alternative kit as last weeks swimming kit is still in the machine. oops)
hung up some laundry in dd's wardrobe.
extracted 6 t shirts that are too small (got to put somewhere)
carried washing upstairs for dd to put some away before she left.
chivvied boy to get dressed
taken some pots through to kitchen
started putting the dry pots away (only a small percentage as yet)

I saw that thread susan there is a lot of unseen mental load isn’t there! And with SN it is amplified big time.

I have written myself a big to do list for the next few days and a lot of it is small mental load stuff that really builds up to stress me out. And that’s with a DH who does take on plenty of housework/childcare and does all of the finance stuff like utilities etc. So today I want to power through many of those little tasks and get them off my shoulders - a brain declutter I suppose, rather than house!

been back in dd's room for another look. it looks totally overwhelming. I am going to have to sneak up on it repeatedly. I have taken some of her bedding to the washing machine. and put it on. I will have to take the mattress off the bed to sort the underneath storage area. not going to be fun. coffee first to gird my loins...

That's really shit about wheelchair services

everything is off dd's bed, half the stuff has been pulled out from underneath her bed. it is getting sorted befr putting back in.

I have also stripped ds's bed and put half the bedding in the washing machine. and hung up as much as I can.

it is all back under dd's bed. sorted out. mattress abck on and bed made up with clean bedding. ds's bed has been made up with clean bedding too. hoovered under dd's bed. fucking knackered. still got more to do but going to have a good long rest tomorrow as well and finish what is not urgent on Monday.

Blackeyedsusan you've achieved a great deal.

Making a list can really free up some mental space.

Today I've ticked everything off my list except one small job that I'll do later. Dh did a lot of hoovering so I'm glad I had a few less jobs to do.

So the air con guys are coming tomorrow morning. I'll be so relieved when it's all done and finished.

I've really achieved everything I'd hoped to. Every room is presentable. That's such a rare occurrence. There are still plenty of cupboards and underbed areas that could be thoroughly decluttered. The laundry pile is still the size of Everest. One of my house plants is completely dead. The garage is pretty disorganized at the moment! But anyway, I'm pleased with the house.

Hi MrsT glad to have you on board 💐 this really is a wonderful thread - everyone just gets it. That it’s not as simple as chucking stuff out if you don’t need it.

Managed to get half of my list done yesterday so I’m really pleased (it wasn’t meant to be all done yesterday, more of a “stuff I need to do in the next few days as it’s stressing me out” type thing). House is quite messy as I’ve been focused on the admin side, but maybe I’ll manage some sorting of random crap later.

Down you’ve made fab progress with the house! Having the AC will be sooo good.

Miaowse wow that’s a lot of books 😍 I’m mostly sorted with 3yo’s bedtime story books, but it’s the children’s fiction (not much and my older two struggle with reading to themselves) and mostly non-fiction books that I need to Kondo soon. Being home edders I've acquired too many, and I understand much more about what works for my DS and what doesn’t now, so many can go.

The air con is fitted and the workmen have gone again! Phew.

So our house is slowly warming up! During the winter months we'll have the vents push out warm air! It'll be such a difference! We've just shivered through the last two winters!

I did not like having the workmen here, I just tried to stay out most of the day. Anyway I'm relaxing now that they're gone. Tomorrow I plan on hoovering and sweeping and mopping. There's a bit of dust. Not too bad, but I'll be happier when I've dealt with it.

I never thought I'd get the house cleared, and cleaned and tidied! I just kept chipping away at it! I've really surprised myself with it! I think I doubted myself for a long time.

Well done Down ,and everyone else too . Been a while since I’ve been here . We got lots of admin and other jobs done last weekend and during the past w about 25 when I counted everything from gardening at two houses and finishing washing the windows here to me booking many app and ordering stuff that we needed . Finally got the boiler service done here , today we’ve got boiler being looked at the old house that were selling and hopefully gardeners coming here on this Thursday . I miraculously managed to get Wimbledon tennis tickets for the boys after 4 h virtual queuing end of last w and they’re hopefully then also going to see F1 at Silverstone the following weekend ( DS Christmas present he’s very interested and aiming to study engineering at university). It was my birthday last Monday and after not having been out to eat since December I went out 3 times in one week .Monday on my birthday I saw friends I used to see weekly for post school run coffees and occasionally lunches out ,movies etc but now hadn’t for over a y . Tue we had a first ever dinner out while our teen DS babysat his sister and the dog then yesterday we went out with the kids and MIL for my birthday and Father’s Day .
Not a huge amount of decluttering done just been doing day to day cleaning and tidying , lots of admin and laundry as always . I did throughly clean ground floor before MIL came yesterday and DS topfloor I just need to do the first floor today / tomorrow . Also we finally finished with the under stairs cupboard of doom so that’s crossed off now just have a few more kitchen cupboards and drawers left and then I’ll move to the top floor . Might actually ask for DH to bring me some more stuff to look through from there like the contents of DD little wardrobe( she’s getting proper bigger built in ones in the new house this one is the nursery furniture that’s served 2 kids very well but is now far too small ). I know there’ll be too small clothes and I’ll try to let go of some which I’ll find hard since I really wanted a third child for a long time and have saved all good conditioned clothes but I’m trying to now mentally let go and at least put bits and pieces away as I find too small stuff to the charity shop even the really nice clothes since I have no energy or time for selling and when I’ve made the decision I just want them out ASAP not hanging around . There wasn’t too much more to go from the under stairs cupboard after my initial culling of too small tennis rackets etc . We found some old games kit of DS that’s going and a pair of DH motorcycle gloves that are the most worn out ( last I heard there were 4-5 pairs before we moved and I made him cull stuff from the previous cupboard) and some kids knee pads . I threw out a hockey stick bag with a hole that I will have to replace . From the hall coat cupboard 3 more pairs of shoes out and a dog frisbee from the garden . When we managed to take rest of the charity shop stuff in the weekend DH forgot the week before I added 2 pairs of unused boys shoes . This week we’ll get rid of a big box of leaving presents for DD classmates ( we’re leaving our school after 10 y on and off there with 2 kids so a bit sad ) and at her birthday party next weekend we’ll give away a box of books ,candy and choc so getting lots of space back after DH most recent dump trip ,charity shop and these two sets of presents going out which is nice . Then she has another party to go to the week after so another lot of pressies gone to the triple party hosts . Also thew out a broken shower hose but that was replaced . DH had gotten rid of a pile of investors magazines from the study I had been staring at annoyed for months and a pile of mail .
I’ll really try to push on with the laundry there’s an awful backlog in the utility r of items that need to be washed separately . I also have a small sewing pile I need to deal with soon . And I need to do this first floor and there’s a few deep cleaning jobs that never get done I need DH for . I’m trying to count jobs done recently though . Windows , trimmed garden hedges , seasonally changed and laundered duvets etc . I’m always a few w ahead on my grocery orders but now somehow have fallen behind so need to get those booked in too and try to cross off a few more things on the to do list . Feeling tired and useless and a newspaper pile and more sleep are calling my name so maybe that and admin and laundry today , cleaning first floor tomorrow . Puppy is sickly and missing his doggy day care as a result then he has an emergency grooming app on fri before his next week neutering and more missed sessions after . I’m dreading it but have to all just get through it . Fx he’ll heal well .

Here’s the vastly improved but cramped under stairs cupboard of doom . Everything is boxed up as much as we could manage . Not labeled in this house maybe in the new house garage cupboards I’ll do that . I’m looking forward to the storage in the bigger house also we don’t have a garage here at all or at the old house so that’ll be an improvement.

Welcome Mrst. Just do anything to start. If you can do the worst thing, great but if not anything is fine. List it on here. Even if it is something little.

Yesterday, I scrubbed the mould off dd's window. Opened the windows which I can only do in summer and scrubbed the frames.
Cleaned the bath and bathroom basin.

Today I have hoovered the hall and stairs.
Pulled out the pop bottles next to the bin and cleaned behind the freezer
Emptied the bin and taken down the bag
Wiped the inside of the bin
Put new bag in.
Cleaned the breakfast bar leg and outside of bin.
Moved most of the stuff on the kitchen floor and hoovered underneath.
Half way through washing the kitchen floor on hands and knees because mopping makes Mr downstairs ceiling wet.it is good for physio as well.
Recycled the last census stuff and other paperwork.
Pop bottles are back by the bin until we can run down stocks. (Ds drinks pop for breakfast, the choice is pop or nothing and a banging headache for him as he will not always drink at school. I find it hard to carry it upstairs so it comes in a job lot in the delivery)
Sorted out the million carrier bags in the hall. I have enough for a free shop at Morrisons!
Put the compost in a bag for ex to take,including bits of ripped up receipts and addresses.

Right, first half of the floor is dry. Going to move the less stuff back and finish hoovering and washing the floor.

I have been working on this on and off since getting back from school.