Stoptober for Hoarders

[hellobeth]

Hi queenie

Does it count? Mmm tricky one But I think I have to say yes. Embracing others’ stuff is part of the condition, at least it is for me. :roll: You have dealt with the acquired hoard pretty quick smart so well done. Importantly, you’ve learned where your mistake was & have made plans for a different response in the future so progress has been made. A good example of what I said about knowledge & empowerment. Keep it up.

BTW if it’s any consolation I get stuck on finishing too so you are not alone – hey I meant you are in good company!

[chaosqueenParticipant]

Yes Beth, it helps to know one is in awesome company! I’ve decided it counts. Here is why. I have worked through all the books, got 2 shipments packed, labeled and ready for pick up, the third shipment is just waiting for me to finish reading that one book. I found a place to drop of the books that can’t be sold, that I don’t want. They are in boxes and my husband gets to put them in the car tonight or tomorrow. I have an errand to run Monday afternoon that will take me right past this place so I can do a 2 in 1 which means I will actually drop them off. And now here is the great part. When I looked at the “keep to read” pile I sighed and got rid of another 30%. There is room in the bookshelf for that amount of books. I am afraid I have enough to read for the next 2 years. Altough 10 years ago it would have only been enough for 2 months. :lol:

I asked my husband what he tought about my progress and he said I was fast. Old me would have taken a lot longer. I am very happy with myself. Especially becasue I FINISHED the task. I might have maneuvered myself into a corner but I got myself out succesfully. Oh btw, I will earn an estimated 70 squid if they decide my books meet their standard after recieving them! :mrgreen:

[hellobeth]

You’ve earned it!

[chaosqueenParticipant]

My victory isturning into a desaster. The used bookstore didn’t want them, the public bookshelf was full, the other one not accessable by car. The back up public shelf wasn’t as public as one might think as it is situated in a preschool and was closed at the time I showed up. Silly me loaded them all into the car in the hpes of getting rid of them. And I will. I think I did everything possible to rehome them properly. As much as it pains me, there is only one place for themto go now. The recycling bin. Unfortunately it is all the way full but they will pick it uo tomorrow. I might just put out a box of books next to it and see if they will take it, too.

Wish me luck!

[hellobeth]

Aww queenie, what a shame it was going so well too. But if your life is anything like mine, this happens all the time :!: My goalposts are always on the move, what should be an easy shot ends up hitting the wood :lol:

I know your reluctance to recycle books. It feels like a heinous crime :shock: I had to recycle some in the summer but they were text books that I had highlighted so even if someone did want to read my psychology books, my markings would have been a pain. Which reminds me, I have two boxes of the books I didn’t deface under the dining table ready to leave. I’m hoping the local sixth form might find them useful…..hmm could make that a plan

I digress :roll: have you got any charity shops near you? They always take my stuff even though they may not have room to sell it. They have vans which distribute donated stuff across their shops.

Good luck

[chaosqueenParticipant]

No charity near me, the only one I can think of takes furniture and houseware, but not books. There is second hand shop that takes books but it is a 20 min ride one way in a direction I never go. I think I already spent more than an hour trying to rehome the books. I am not willing to spend more time on it. Especially as I have another big box fullof books that could acutally find a new home in my opinion. I will just consider it a donation to the local paper mill. Maybe it is for the better. If I can throw 100 books into the recycling bin I should be able to throw away anything else that crosses my path. Right? I feel the strong urge to resort them now. I wil resist. I am a strong woman. Should we get rid of our books together? Shall we say they are gone by Friday? Does that work for you or would Saturday suit you better?

[hellobeth]

eeek queenie :shock: that’s only three days to go…maybe by the following friday would be enough of a challenge & a great achievement if I succeed. :lol: I would need to psyche myself up to repeat the phone call to the school (the last was before the school summer break – it took five weeks to get psyched up & then they didn’t get back to me as promised). That will take at least a few days as I have to allow & overcome the ensuing panic attack it involves. It’s already there – I feel so sick You probably won’t wait that long, nor should you! But a great idea to get rid of them together

Your optimism never fails to make me chuckle. Everytime I see, “Right?” I think, “Aww bless” :lol:

[chaosqueenParticipant]

Good. Friday in a week. Breath in, breath out. Panic attack gone? Good. I’ll hold your hand virtually while you make that phone call. How I hate to make those calls. My husband does, too. When we have to make offical phone calls we always try to get the other one to do it! :lol: Just say, I am calling again as you haven’t returned my call as promised :twisted: I am sure you can fine more subtle wording for “you are indebted to me” hehehe. Okay. Friday in a week. Suits me. 7 are in the bin, 8 at the public bookschelf at the school. Unfortunately it is overflowing. I will try my luck again tomorrow. :twisted: Only about 3472 books to go.

[hellobeth]

Aww thanks queenie

Just a quickie as will be heading off to the city. Will make ringing the school tomorrow’s challenge; gives me a day to prepare :roll: or maybe I might just pop into the school :shock: radical :lol:

[Enviro]

Sorry to nose in, but have you tried offering them for free, online?

There are all these sites where you could list the whole lot. The best part is that ppl will come to you, you don’t have to get out of the house.

I’ve posted them some time back on my topic: Doing things more efficiently but here they are again:

uk.freecycle.org/

ilovefreegle.org/

rehomeyourstuff.co.uk/

preloved.co.uk/free

gumtree.com/freebies

friday-ad.co.uk/uk/for-sale/free-stuff-N-1z141xk

community.vivastreet.co.uk/freebies

stuff4sale.eu/free-stuff.html

RE books: I found this post http://www.recyclethis.co.uk/recycling-for-charity/recycling-for-charity-old-and-unwanted-books” class=”bbcode_url”>http://www.recyclethis.co.uk/recycling-for-charity/recycling-for-charity-old-and-unwanted-books Browse through the comments too, as there are many charities who ship books to Africa.

http://readinternational.org.uk/how-can-you-help/give-books/

http://www.bhf.org.uk/shop/donating-goods.aspx

http://www.community-heart.org.uk/take-action/

Let us know if you manage to re-home them. Reuse comes before recycle!

[chaosqueenParticipant]

No, to be honest I haven’t. Thank you very much for the suggestion. Time to come out of the closet. I don’t live in the UK. But I am sure I can find similar websites in my area. Thank you, I haven’t even thought about that.

[greenermum]

RE ALL THE BOOKS – Just realised you are not in the UK, chaosqueen, but for all UK readers – The Lions Club are grateful for books and sell them in their own dedicated bookshops AT VERY REASONABLE prices – which seems to be effective in keeping the stock moving … You may like to enquire locally as I expect it differs in each locality. I gather the Lions club are really great at putting funds back into the local community. Also Oxfam have dedicated bookshops. One danger everyone – do not loiter in the bookshop after delivering your load – it is fatal not to ‘drop and shop’ !!! Unless they are Christmas presents of course and they make it to the receiver….

[chaosqueenParticipant]

Sounds like me dropping of 10 books at the public bookshelf bringing home 4 others. Well. At least I took home less then I dropped off. :oops:

[chaosqueenParticipant]

I am done being a hoarder. I found something my sister borrowed last years. I’ve been looking for it since February and was getting to the point wher I was convinced she never returned it. Where did I find it? With the Christmas stuff of course. She returned it on Christmas Day. :roll:

Seriously. I am done. It takes too much energy. I did grab 5 things on my way done from the attic and tossed them without thinking twice. I really want to believe that my thinking patterns are changing.

[chaosqueenParticipant]

A miracle! I got rid of 2 boxes of books because I picked up a piece of cardboard somebody dropped! He was telling me that he needed it or he couldn’t start the fir at home.I was joking that I had a whole car full o books to start his fire. He told me his wife always knows people who want books. Well. He took the 2 smallest but claimed he was interested in the rest. I told him I would happily take the rest to his house, all he had to do was give me a call. SO we wil see. The books just might find a new home!

[Author]

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