I'm in the same boat. I live alone and am 58. I work full time and am too exhausted to even begin getting rid of this mess. I don't let people come into my house - it's my 'secret'. My bathroom floors are rotting and I keep putting rug on top of rug over them. One I don't go into anymore and have it blocked off. My daughters won't let my grandchildren come over and I don't blame them. I badly want my bathrooms fixed; I have money, but am ashamed to let workmen in my home. Any suggestion? I live in a small town in the south and don't want to use a local contractor for fear they would tell.

Sheryl and friends...
I would like to help other people, too ... where do I start?
hugs to you, too

Hi Gail! :)

Want a jump-start on your decluttering to make room for organizing?

Get a box and a trash bag.

Clear off a small horizontal surface, such as an end table - put all obvious trash in the bag, and stuff that needs sorting in the box.

DEFEND that horizontal surface :) Nothing goes on there from here on out, except what belongs there, such as a lamp, clock.

I'd go on (with suggestions), but the main goal is to just start and start small. Slow and steady work (PROGRESS!) wins this game.

You can do this!

Sheryl

Hi Sears! :)

You may not be an "expert" but that desire to help, coupled with "getting it" (understanding) goes a long way!

Big Kudos & Hugs for helping your brother with his closet.

Sheryl

Hi New Life!

What do you think about putting the arts and crafts into boxes so you can have a good nights rest? :)

From there, you can organize your crafts and collections and make decisions - what stays, what goes (donate, obvious trash, a project you no longer want to do...)

No shame, we totally get it here. Join the Sunday online support group to connect and/or just "listen" (read) to what others are doing to get through that slow and steady wins the game - decluttering.

Since cluttering is an expression of internal stuff, a good therapist can really help you uncover your life and home.

Once you do uncover (declutter) an area (no matter how large or small) defend that space and make sure nothing is placed on that surface that does not belong there! :)

Hope to "see" you Sunday evening. If not, there is a Tuesday night peer-support group (also online).

Sheryl

Hi. Last Monday I cleaned out my brother's closet.It had been accumulating items for fifteen years. It was a process with him...but successful, I want to help. I think of this is a gift back at age 59... not an expert but someone with a desire to help

Hi Gail, hi Shannon, Gail i'm riding in the boat right next to you, all my arts and crafts taking over my bed, Haven't organized a thing, and been collecting, for a, let's say a while... it's this deep depression that i don't wanna claim, cause outside my door no one knows me like that, but i do believe a little at a time will get me there, I just gotta stop covering it back up once i uncover it, ssshhh - let's stay in touch,

gail their is no shame talking about your hoarding or progress on here .. we listen and try and help each other out and update each other about our progress's and also our failures but we are here to cheer you on and try to keep you motivated . so please tell us about your progress as it gives others hope and yourself hope as most of us are going through the same things.. just try and do a little clean up each day but dont overwhelm your self ,, and idea for your bills and important papers maybe invest in a little filing cabinet it works for me then they arn't scattered everywhere .

I'm a hoarder.
I'm 63 and live alone in the house where I raised two children.
It's disorganized and messy and I'm dissociative so I forget to do stuff from one day to the next.

I've started keeping a book to daily keep track that I have titled Organizing and Sustaining Life.
It's graph paper where I log daily activity.

I'm an artist and use creative endeavor to feel better about being alone. But I have stashes of the materials from each medium as I move on to the next.
They are not just leftovers... they are supplies in case I want to flex an old skill. (hmmm do I hear rationale?)

So, I have beads and silk cord to string them from 10 years ago. A woodshop with lumber, tools and hardware from 15 years ago. Fabric from up to 25 years ago. And yarn from "only" the last 3 years. I've been knitting and I just added a floor loom. (which to give myself credit has been inspiration to clean the living room)

Then there are the precious treasures left over from having raised kids here.

AND THEN THERE IS THE TRASH. Old bills and papers, important and unimportant mixed in.
The refrigerator hasn't been washed out in five years. I make headway in the kitchen but backslide until I need dishes. I do very little cooking because the kitchen is too messy.

My problem is that every horizontal surface is a place to put things that then don't make it to the put away or thrown away stage.

It has gotten so I don't let people in the house.

I have wanted to find a place where I can talk about my efforts at organization without shame.

I want my house to be a place where I am comfortable and happy and am not ashamed to have other people come to visit.

I feel like my house is a barometer of my emotional weather and I'd like it to be nice in.

I have a friend who told me about this site and I am so very glad she did.