- This topic is empty.
-
Posts
-
Kim
That sounds like a great start.
I’m hoping that if we all keep posting our achievements however big or small, we might all help motivate each other and also swap ideas or ways of letting go of those things we find hard to tackle.silvi
Well, I am in the middle of a major battle with lots of stuff – mostly things like and crafts supplies – jewellery equipment and boxes of useful material that I will probably never get round to making anything with – but I am hoping that I can win – I just need a bit of inner strength and conviction that a pile of magazines from 5 years ago is not going to be missed too much! Even though severe hoarders seem to be OCD sufferers I am sure that a bereavement or some personal trauma is the trigger for some hoarders. I lost my father 10 years ago quite suddenly and have been quite affected since then- its like a barrier was put up and I hated things being wasted or thrown away if I thought it could be used for something. Add to that my “magpie” liking for small, shiny and colourful things and I have the most enormous collection of beads and jewellery goodies!! This isn’t that bad if it were tidy, and I could actually find space on a table to work at!! MY sympathy to anyone who is worse than me – I do at least have a big conservatory to get stuff out/ decide what to throw away and then put away in the cupboards and shelves. Now that I have written this I will tackle the next box…..
Silvi, I’m trying not to look too interestedly at what your getting rid of!
I couldn’t tell you what triggered me because its been going on a long time as has a string of traumas and bereavements, and I grew up in a hoarded home, so all a mess, but no question about filling a void for me. In some ways having a complicated story has made it harder, because it seems easier to fix the hoarding than to sort out my past.
You wont miss the magazines if you’ve not missed reading them in five years.
Please come back with progress on the next box?Sunday took the day off, and today’s total was only three carrier bags worth, but I did get lots of other things done, so not going to beat myself up.
Monday was one bag of recycling, and a bag of shredded paper, but Tuesday, yesterday and today have all been spent taking advantage of the weather and attacking the garden, which is very much in need of it.
It is now clearer by four sacks, and an old planter, but possibly more importantly as it was running riot, it is a lot tidier.Mayuk32
Hi
I am trying to de clutter a large room and this last week I have got rid of 27 books in a room full of books.
Various newspapers and magazines also and old letters and diarys too.
I am having problems getting rid of my folders from university and I am unsure to keep them or not as there is a lot of work I have done in there
I write as well so I have trouble getting rid of anything I have written such as drafts for stories and story ideas.
I also have a hard time getting rid of videos and Dvds but I know this is something I need to work on
I feel more positive and although I to ache I am trying to keep to 15/20 mins a day and I am more concise about churning then I have been on my previous attempts and I am also following the 20 second rule as well.julesg
Hi everyone.
Nice to hear about your journeys to freedom from clutter. My journey started last week. I was initially inspired by watching the hoarding programs on TV and following the advice given to one lady I started by cleaning a window and sill the first day and then 2 windows the next. I have 3 windows still to do because I cannot reach them yet. My goal is to reach those windows within a month. This motivates me to tackle the overflow of STUFF every time I get overwhelmed. 
I then started by collecting up and throwing out the plastic bottles and rubbish like tissues etc and even managed a few newspapers and TV magazines. I managed to throw out about 3 black bags of stuff and now 2 recycling bins of papers and bottles. So many water bottles needed because I cannot reach my kitchen taps easily because of all the washing up piled up. I have no problems washing up when I go to a friends or family so why I cannot do my own I am at a loss. Hence the additional cutlery and paper/ plastic plates…. :oops:
I have been so encouraged to find out there are others like me and thanks to you all for sharing your tips.
My first task is to pack up all the newspapers in my bedroom so I no longer share a bed with them! :oops: Happy de-cluttering everyone. Blessings
Cassie
Mayuk32 wrote:
> I am having problems getting rid of my folders from university and I am
> unsure to keep them or not as there is a lot of work I have done in thereI would think the best thing to do would be to have some nice storage boxes for the stuff until you can through more thoroughly. At least with boxes – if you have a thousand sheets of paper or one sheet – it’s the same space! Sorry if you already have done that. It’s a big part of your life to have to chuck out really.
Dawn
Hello i have just joined this group after watching the tv programme …”The hoarder next door”…….it’s good 2 know i’m not alone x
Cristal
I have also just joined this group after watching “The Hoarder Next Door”.
I’m glad I am not alone as I have had this problem for a long time, but I am pleased to say I am nothing like as bad as those featured on the programme. My house is not dirty, although it would be far easier to keep clean if there were less clutter!
I have a spare bedroom which has been unused as such for the past 14 years due to excess clutter. At one point you couldn’t see the bed. It would be really nice if I could get this room cleared and decorated and invite friends to stay, or at least use it for some useful purpose.
I seem to hoard specific things like slimming magazines, recipe books, videos, and of course clothes. I had a spell in the 90’s when I was addicted to buying clothes from charity shops. Most of the clothes I bought were brand new, but I was very poor and all alone at the time, and it had something to do with that, it was definitely a comfort thing.
I have made a commitment to start – just 30 minutes a day in that room. Today I threw out 3 magazines, and I put a book in the charity bag. I also shredded an old love letter that I had been hanging onto from 1987. It’s a start.
Well done for making a start. I haven’t been on for a few days because I realised I was in danger of using my time on this site rather than sorting. How easily time fritters away…. Anyway I have cleared a passage way in my hall now. Still a long way to go but making progress.
Jasmine
Great to hear the progress that everyone is making!
I was thinking how important it is to recognise our achievements, however small, because when there is sooooo much to do it is easy to think you’re not getting anywhere. Something I’m guilty of too, so Mum & I said we will recognise our progress each session.
On Thursday we put cd’s from the window ledge on shelves, empty jewel cases went out, changed the bed clothes, loaded the dishwasher, cleared a small table (identified stuff for charity & put small things away) sorted flannels from other linen.jannequin
Hi, all, and it’s good to find a thread celebrating our achievements. After a long, long time of distress and sadness about my situation, I’ve decided to grasp the nettle. Here’s why.
My mum went into a nursing home in 2008, and since then I’ve been clearing her crammed semi-detached house. It’s now on the market – I almost can’t believe I did it all single-handedly (combination of being only child, and shame). My house started filling up with things I couldn’t part with. Then I got depressed (no wonder), went on medication, slumped on the settee whenever I wasn’t working on mum’s house, and just let my own personal life go while trying to hold work together (I’m divorced, no kids).
I live in a lovely converted Victorian house, and share a communal hallway with 2 others. They’d made a couple of remarks about the ‘cat smell’ becoming obvious, and yesterday I got a very polite email asking me to do something about it. The reality is, yes, it’s cat smell, but also unwashed dishes, clothes, a fridge that looks like something out of ‘Alien,’ and years of accumulated muck. It’s the smell of a dirty house. I have to boil kettles for hot water because I need a new boiler but nobody could get near the radiators or the fuse box. I also have moths and carpet beetles. I like to think I have many friends, but the reality is that nobody comes to the house, and I’ve forsaken close friends for people I can see more casually and occasionally.
I think I got so used to living in the crisis of clearing mum’s that I’ve forgotten how to live any other way. My expectations for my life are so low! I don’t know how I’m going to turn the situation round, but I know that I have to, and do it now. I’m pretty clear of other demands over the next six weeks, so I’m going to see how I get on, just working on one room at a time and setting a time limit each day and sticking to it (this was what worked at mum’s). Today I managed three hours in the kitchen, found the sink and cooker, cleaned both, did dishes/laundry and filled two bin bags with rubbish. On my side, I have motivation and the support of this forum, and I was well enough to come off the meds at the start of this year. I’m aiming for one trip each week to the dump and will chart progress in here each week.
Wish me luck, dear friends!
A_Hoarder
I can so relate to that last post. My mother died two years ago and I have all her personal belongings, including her clothes. Well, her clothes actually fit me and as she was quite fashionable, I do wear most of them. But I have other stuff that I cant bear to throw away/get rid because they were hers and I feel guilty every time I think of getting rid of stuff. She also did a lot of craft things, so I have all that stuff too – probably why my craft cupbaords are insufficient for all the stuff I have.
rosiesmum
Hi everyone, I’m going to try & start today. I’ve filled a black bag so far today, a big chunk of that was a box of lovely vintage china that I fell into while climbing over it. I didn’t even check to see what may be salvageable just tipped it straight into a bag & put it outside. I WILL NOT GO & RETRIEVE IT, I WILL NOT.
I’m a churner, when my spare room was full, I put everything into the loft, then filled the room again.
Most of what I need to get rid of hasn’t actually got any sentimental value. It still makes me feel sick to think of getting stuck in though. That may be because of the amount of stuff.
A friend of mine who isn’t a hoarder but has motivation issues was advised by his support worker to bin 6 pieces of paper & 6 things every day. Maybe that would be a good start.
I hope everyone’s managing well.
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.