Hoarders Anonymous. Thread #9. We Are Keeping On Keeping On. Fighting The Cluttered Fight.

[Solo]

We are a group of likeminded householders who 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 is), health issues within the family unit, wider family, or ourselves (me too) that means sorting out our households is challenging to say the least. So...
You are all welcome to join us for support, adding your ideas to help others out, storage ideas, and even tips on actually getting those items out of the house which sounds so simple when you say it, but this part can be a huge challenge; we are often attached emotionally to our 'things', afraid of letting things go just in case we need them, or it belonged to mum or gran. This is tough stuff to deal with.
Encouragement and support abound here in our band of clutterbugs. We never ever criticise anyone! We even try not to criticise ourselves as it's not helpful to anyone, but this can be very difficult to achieve.
We hold one another's hands, dab away tears, and snot virtually.
If you are feeling overwhelmed by clutter, mess, disorganisation and generally don't know where to start. If you can't be bothered, but really do want to be bothered. If you think you are a bit lazy, or if you just need to see your highs and lows and everything in between on the screen here, join us, and we will support you. We'll virtually high-five your achievements - small or large, and virtually hug you when the need arises. If you want a hug, just ask because we are here for you, we're here for one another because we get it. The art of washing up is sometimes our great achievement of the day, but it's still an achievement. Every small step is an achievement.
My own journey is very long, I've tried to get it done, bug it's a work in progress. Single working mum (children now both over 18, but youngest has many physical issues as well as ADHD and ASD). I have chronic illness, and am in my 62nd year on the planet, so I need to deal with it. The point is. You aren't alone if you are also suffering.

Some helpful links which I hope are still valid. They aren't for everyone, but have a look if you fancy:
• Help For Hoarders by Jasmine Harman (the author/producer of the BBC1 documentaries My Hoarder Mum and Me and Britain's Biggest Hoarders)
• The FlyLady Cleaning Method by Marla Cilley
• The Organised Mum Method by Gemma Bray
• The KonMari Method by Marie Kondo
• A Slob Comes Clean by Dana K. White
• The Getting Things Done Method by David Allen

I'm not sure if The Flylady link is working, but if not, you know what to search for.
Welcome to thread #8 of Hoarders Anonymous. Thread #8. We Are Keeping On Keeping On. Fighting The Cluttered Fight (and winning, one small step at a time).

Decluttering Expert: Dana K White of A Slob Comes Clean
Learn more about decluttering expert Dana K. White and her cleaning and organizing blog: A Slob Comes Clean. Author, podcaster, blogger and YouTuber.
https://www.aslobcomesclean.com/about-me/

Well, I've put DH's very large, very heavy Encyclopaedia of Tanks in a bag ready to take to the charity bookshop.

A bit torn about it, but it's not something that I'll read. I was trying to recall what kind of tank DH drove - he was a tank gunner (short term regular). Thought it was a Centurion, but wasn't sure.

Started to leaf through the book. Lo and behold, it fell open at Centurion. Looks like those are the only pages that have been pored over. So, that answers the question and I can let it go now.

@WearyAuldWumman well done! You've been brave, and have made a hole!
@CherryRipe1 Well done to you! This is something I have to do too. I have a lot of stuff to shred, but I think I'll end up burning it as it'll be quicker.
@LucyLoo1972 I feel for you. I have had mental health issues with a long stay in a psychiatric hospital in the 80s caused by a violent, narcissistic husband. I did somehow find the strength to get out of that situation, and I didn't have kids with him, so wasn't quite as complicated as it might have been, but the scars are there even if not visible, and I believe it's a large part of my hoarding problem. I do believe that you can improve your life little by little - we all can, and you have virtual hand holds and support here when you need/want it.
@LifeboatJoy I hope your room brought you joy in that it was usable. You can build on that.

Wishing everyone on this thread, new and old hands a very successful and satisfying 2026. This is our year. Keep on keeping on.

Driving:85 miles
Two loads washing, washed and hung.
Some shopping away.
Picked up bath matsx3
Squashed some recycling. (It's still on the floor until DD can pick it up as the vertigo is back if I bend over )
Rinsed hand wraps. (Ds finished them off)

Don't laugh...Have discovered that I have a cardboard box full of seed packets that I got free from gardening magazines.

I'm going to scatter them all in a bare patch of the garden. If they grow, they grow. If they're eaten by birds, fine. If they don't grow, fine.

I'd kept them until I could finish decluttering the house and get on with the garden... The box is just adding to the clutter in an unused bedroom.

Well, I've not got a cardboard box full of seeds!

<innocent whistle>

Plastic and tin boxes

The bloody toilet is blocked again. And I have to clean a yeeted fruit from all over the kitchen. I'm in pain so it will have to wait.

Driven 85 miles.
Rang school 3x
Rang collège
Supermarket 1
Prescription picked up.
Petrol
Shopping up two flights of stairs. Put some away.
Started the fruit explosion clear up. (Moved the recycling that built up as the bloody council didn't collect for three weeks and it fills up in a week. )
Supermarket 2. Carried shopping up two flights of stairs.
Back down stairs get car out again. Take boy to gym.
Back up two flights of stairs.
Wipe shopping and start putting away. (Tetris fridge)
Discovered a blocked loo. Such joy.

Dd picked up the squashed recycling.

Since last post:
Vertigo is still present can't bend head down or move it rapidly up or down. Driving, thankfully, not effected.
Started properly treating eye condition.
Emailed school.
Physio appointment (Thur) (walked half way from garage)
and car fixed same day.
Trip to emergency eye hospital. (Not an emergency in the end) (Fri)
Drove on 42 miles.
Dentist appointment Extreme dental phobia. (Walked so shattered) (Whole day autistic meltdown)
Bought a bike for DC.
I've been to monthly social club.
One load of washing.
Fruit cleaned off the wall.
Fruit cleaned off the smallest work surface and draining board.
Recycling sent twice.
Four lots of washing up but never got to the end of the pile.
Supermarket shop, X2 put away chilled, frozen and some cupboard shopping. The stairs pantry is still full.
Bin full, bin bag on floor, (not the brightest idea since the floor has been inaccessible for several weeks) I've managed to sort this out by scooting about on a step but not without falling off and needing rescuing from the floor. Sent down with ex.

I'm still battling the post dentist meltdown. I've got to have a filling but it's been found early.

Haven't decluttered much more, but have resisted buying face cream, etc until I use up everything that I already have.

Have been told that there's a charity shop down the town centre that will accept VHS tapes so will try taking a couple down on Wednesday.

In the meantime, waiting for a hospital referral for drumroll the extraction of an impacted wisdom tooth...I'm nearly 66!

I thought I'd left myself in difficulty, having passed on the coat that was too big for me. However, I've found a coat that was formerly too small for me. I thought that it wouldn't be usable since I'd accidentally torn a bit of the lining, but I've discovered that my home repair is much better than I though.

Ergo, I have a smart coat that I can wear to meet a couple of pals in Edinburgh tomorrow. Result.

Driven 95 miles.
B and M
Home Bargains.
2xloads washing. Carried upstairs with shopping.
Supermarket. Carried shopping upstairs.
Wiped and put away chill/frozen.
DD hung washing.
Physio.
Treated eyes X2.

Met the pals in Edinburgh.

Did not buy anything (apart from a cheese scone and a cuppa). Huzzah!

Well done!

Forgot yesterday:
Answer ds's calls and manage to find shit remotely in a house a mile away! Not only do I have to remember where my shit is have to remember where ex's stuff is.

Today: (didn't get any thing done apparently)
Eyes
Drove 88 miles
Put some pots away. (Not all)
Sainsbury's top up shop.
Put shopping away.
3 hour nap. (The not getting anything done)
Find ds's clothes.
Rotate washing on airer to speed up drying.

thank you - my marriage situation is very complicated. I dont tihnk my husabnd was abusive befroe I had my breakdwon even if my marriage was complicated. I had a ton of childhood trauma which they say is the root cause of it all. my husabnd does hoard but it is no where ink a hoarders show. I let it all get to me too much as I had insane perfectionism

Hello folks. I read here, but very little to post about. I nod along to all the things I can identify with. Thanks to all who post.

@WearyAuldWumman does the shop that takes tape have a branch in Glasgow? I’d love to avoid binning my vhs, but can’t find anywhere for them. TY

I don't know, sorry. (I'm in Fife.) It's one of those military charity shops. I'll ask when I'm in.

Need to catch up, but i have a couple of brags.
I gave away 3 books that I've read. A wedding dress that was my late sister in laws - I'm not sure what she intended to do with it, it definitely wasn't her size. Whoopee! I know, it's not much, but they've gone. It's a small win.
Washing up done daily.
Cleaned cooker top.
Laundry done.
Got Dd to clear up the side of the bed which was hideous. And she vacuumed a bit there too.

Well done Solo.

Finished filling the gaps in mantle and skirtings and sanded the completed dried corners. Chiselled up more gunk from the old hearth tiles, think my ex must have silicone sealed them down as it's rubbery 🤣. I'm done with looking for any more snags and holes, too bad, they can stay. Ordered pine wax, tile adhesive and 2 pt adhesive as a blind fascia fell down due to knackered velcro, already have strong velcro. Bleached the 1/4 sink that had got tea stained. Thought the Xmas decorations had been stashed in the loft, but no, they were obscured under a pile of stuff moved for the spare room renovation, so will nag my partner to put them up in the loft for the umpteenth time.

Well done one and all.
I've not been posting as afraid progress here has mainly been towards the wrong direction as more and more hasn't gone well. It's felt like it would just be updating the end game in a depressing loosing battle.
I'm hoping things will get better, but it now feels like it's in the lap of the gods rather than something I can make happen.

So sorry Elle. It must be so frustrating.

I'm checking in for half term. Several days were lost to vertigo. I have tablets which help but there was a gap in between them so got to build up again.

This morning:
Working on hand laundry: rinse then spin individual items in good but temperamental spinner that needs a break between spins. <sigh>

Restocked toothpaste, and sanitary towels in bathroom. (Whilst getting grumpy about stuff DD was supposed to take longer dad's months ago. )
Found the recycling carrier bag and filled up.there is so much more to go but reliant on ex.

Forced food down to be able to take tablets. Previous tasks have involved too much bending and head movements. Nauseous and fuzzy headed. .

Oh and well done on the DIY cherry.

Yesterday: took bin bag out and threw some other stuff away. Sorted some of the work surface. Not much but every little helps.

Today. Vertigo well enough to take down the fucking Christmas tree. I had to be careful as still easily triggered with dizziness looking up and down. DD had to help and take stuff off me some did not have to move my head as much.

I cleaned 1/4 of the lounge window of bad mould now I could get at it.

Any bets on how long a dismantled tree will be lying about?

I'm fed up of being ill. Been going on since just after putting the bloody tree up in early December.

Ds has taken some of his Christmas stuff to his dad's. (Large sandwich bag gone)

Yesterday:
3 hours driving
3 hours gardening.
Two supermarkets, putting shopping away 2 hours.
Sorting out stuff/weather report etc: 1/2 hour.
Kept awake by ds until 1.30 am.
Sorting out medication, medical stuff, 1/2 minimum.

Today:
washed up
Put some pots away,
Wiped down surfaces
Sorted some recycling

Mainly collapsed into a heap after yesterday.

@BlackeyedSusan Well done!
Know what you mean about fed up with being ill, also been going on since December. Patience is running thin.