Diane, Grace and Sheryl , I wasn't on chat last night but hope to see you all here posting on the boards. I take great strength from my fellow hoarders and I very much enjoy my friendships here. I

To Diane, my dear friend, I have signed on to chat a handful of times. I am comfortable hearing other people tell their stories and trying to offer some support. I am less comfortable when it's my turn. It can be a busy place and I haven't found it to be a comfortable venue for me.

I respect your wishes and do not want to pressure you, but please don't leave the message boards!! Pretty please!! You are important to me, and I bet I'm speaking for a lot of people right now.

That said, please know from the bottom of my heart I do want you to do what's best for you. And if taking a break is best, I support you and I understand.

Thank you all in the Sun meeting. Remember that no one is perfect but we are growing.

I was in the chat room tonight and can understand how you feel! This was my 2nd time and it gets a little hectic; especially for the person who only has 15 min to type!! Think about your decision, maybe you have now helped the group to set some ground rules; when it's someone's turn. Think about it??!!

Just wanted to say I am sorry I lost it in chat tonight. I find it difficult to focus when interrupted. Looking back I should have just signed off. I often focus on others and solving their problems, and it is difficult for me to ask for help. The 15 min. chat time is usually a good exercise for me to focus on myself and look at my accomplishments and goals for the week. When continually interrupted I became more and more anxious until I could not concentrate at all, all I could think of was "SHUT THE X UP". Being on this site has saved my life this past 1&1/2 years. Maybe it is time to let go of the group and problem solve on my own. Having ADHD is no fun and distractions are difficult to deal with for me. I will try to talk myself into posting on message boards, not sure if I will be able to return to chat. Wish you all well on your journey.

Diane, I loved being the person who had everything. Need this? Take mine! Then I began buying stuff in anticipation of someone, anyone(!) needing it. Then I bought multiples of things, in case someone needed it. Then it turned out my beautiful place was junked everywhere. And the second I realized that I'm trying to be everyone's hero, I was able to let it all go. This happened a few months ago, when I was forming my friendships here. Something snapped.

What a burden being the go-to person. I wanted to be her, and I was her, and now I'll leave that to someone else. I don't want to have a bunch of #{%^¥ junking up my house because some day, some one, be they friend or stranger, might possibly need one of the six million things I bought in the last 19 years. It's a relief. These things exist in the world, I tell myself, at places called stores. I don't need to warehouse this stuff any longer. Other parts of my hoard have a different story, but my 'just in case stuff" has all been cleared out. I'm fortunate that I don't have a moment of regret. And today was a good test of that.

Hello gals, great to sign on and read your posts, was feeling a little isolated. fun day today painting things, you name it I painted it, just because. cleaned up most of it, creeping clutter seems to sneak up from every direction, thanks for discussing it. did dishes again today.
congrats tat for having no more extras in case people need it, I still have stuff for others, so helps to here it is ok, to just get rid of it, but makes me so happy to give it when others need it, even if I waste 2 hours looking for it to give it to them. then I get grumpy because I do this for them and do not take care of myself, how silly is that, so much easier to get rid of extras and say, nope, all gone.
I watered this morning before painting. finally washed car mats, hung them and now they are dry and ready to go to car, they were so dirty, had been vacuumed in past a few times but never washed, really need to be replaced, huge old coffee stains. Good enough for now. did not get much done of any substance, just using up more paint before it freezes. the chinese red shelf is outside freezer room in walkway and looks so cool, gloss red, so fun to do creative things. also painted a wood mirror frame/shelf same red yesterday and hung that today on other side of door, looks like it was planned. Plan to put shelves up in garage with some of the boards I painted today, already have brackets.

Great to read everyone's posts. Thank you Tillie for discussing creeping clutter. I cleaned off my dresser this AM and will take care of living room tonight. Congratulations to LR for having an extra large shredding bag! Diane, thank you for your kind words. Greatly needed. And of course hello and thank you to everyone!

I was cranky today because I spent the entire weekend taking care of everyone but me. No time left to get to storage and I was getting grumpy. Then, I had a moment that only a struggling hoarder could appreciate: My mother asked me if I had a planter so she could re- pot a plant. And I said, no, I hot rid of everything. I no longer have things just on case someone should need them. I felt fantastic. Completely fantastic and proud of myself. Not an inch of guilt. I felt proud.

Thank you all. You got me here. Now I have to continue to work. Including finding time to go to storage, which would actually be fun for me. Fun to get rid of stuff and to be able to get to a smaller storage space, with an eye toward complete elimination.

LR, Tat and Tillie, reading your posts, made me smile, so happy things are going well and tat that you are so honest, creeping clutter is not our friend, but sure tries to be.
Fianlly dishes are all caught up. Think I finally found the magic combination to stop drips in walkway. Poured water and it looks good, now just have to finish attaching my inventions!! It makes me smile when I look at the way I use my crap to patch things, including coated stove pipe, not up to builders standards, but they said there was no answer to leaks, we will see if it holds when winter visits. Painted white around my red door to freezer room. I had painted it tan last year, but wanted white around chinese red. Beautiful day enjoying my little projects, just have to talk myself into finishing it and not just jump to next thing. During this break I came up with lots of things to do rather than finish fastening pieces around pipes of walkway. I think part of me likes the drama of leaving things undone, and see if it falls apart. Whats that about? Oh, typical addict behavior. Several thoughts of acquiring today, to avoid doing the hard part. Tat your post helped me. I would like an aversion to acquiring, but just knowing you are stopping helps me. LR sounds like you got through those boxes. Tillie you continue to make the best of a bad situation, inspiring.

Happy Saturday. Good to read everyone's posts.

I took my shredding to my "shred place" this morning. I had gathered so much that it was too heavy for me to carry all at once. (That's a happy thing . . . got lots more stuff than usual shredded!) Yea!

Might post more later, but I wanted to share that little tidbit. Hugs to everybody.

Sounds like you had a great day, Diane! Good color choice for the freezer room door! You got so much done AND you avoided a garage sale! You did a great job. I have passed up all street sales since I met everyone here. Have only gone to Goodwill to donate, haven't wandered back to see what China or glass treasure is waiting for me. For now, I feel an aversion to acquiring stuff. I hope it lasts, for I still have a long way to go. Tomorrow is supposed to be better weather (we are having a blast of hear and humidity here) so I vow to go to storage space.

I see the clutter creeping back into living room and into bedroom dresser. I need to address this.

Have a wonderful day, everyone!

Thanks for the support Tillie. Waking up at 5am is not a lot of fun for you, hope your day went ok.
I slept in for the first time in weeks.
Went up on roof and did about an hour of work. My friend that I got the digital camera a year ago is having her annual garage sale today. She asked me to come and visit with her, I said I might. Well I knew I would come home with stuff I do not need, so happy hoard knocked some sense into my brain!!! Had to talk myself into staying home by bribing myself to shop at home and do some painting. I painted the freezer room door Chinese Red, gloss enamel, so fun. Then painted my flower petals red that I cut out of sheet metal from roof, cute. Painted a board same red to use as a shelf. Fun to paint. Painted the white roof coat grey so doesn't stand out so much, neighbors had complained about how bad it looked, did it for myself, not them. The brat part of me enjoyed annoying neighbor that complained, the one that smokes and tosses butts.
I did not get much done, things that matter, mostly just had fun today. Friend emailed and asked where I was today. I just said I painted a door and myself. I really like staying home and doing fun stuff and avoiding garage sales.

Hello all, great reading your posts, thanks. We are so lucky to have each other.
Today was my first clinic this year, it was great, really enjoyed it and the gals I worked with. took a shower yesterday, 4 loads of laundry, so nice to sleep in clean sheets.
tillie I assume you did get dressed yesterday if you accomplished all of that work.
I noticed I was stressed this morning and tried on so many clothes, wasted over an hour, instead of just wearing what I had out to wear. It was good to pull out all the clothes, now will have to deal with them. My plan is to do what you said tillie, try them on and keep what I really like, will need to be on chat work to be willing to let go of a bunch of clothes.
Thanks tillie for support on big bedroom, I am getting close to being sick and tired of all the clothes, belts, purses etc.----------. Tillie you said to go slow this week so thought of that as the hoard buried me. I say I will do what others suggest, knowing it is a good plan, then start working on something totally different. After work today, I said just do something fun, so I worked in the yard, needed that outside time. Took all the roofing shingles that did not fit in garbage last week and got them in garbage for tomorrow, so happy that will all be gone tomorrow. Still have some of the boards that turned in to sawdust from roof, but that can go next week or burn when burning is allowed.
Garbage cart is full to brim, threw some things away for practice, cups, no chips or cracks, would have to wash to donate, so tossed them. I put a fire wood rack on deck that I used last year but took off deck in spring. Got most of roofing supplies off roof, including the boards I used to walk on. Still a few things to fix up there, almost done.
A filling fell out of a tooth this afternoon so I have to call dentist tomorrow to make an appt. to have it filled before it rots. Sick of dental bills.
Thanks again for all of your posts, so great to feel like I have a group of friends to discuss our progress, ups and downs.

You really are a marvel, Tillie. You embody my favorite saying, which is, the soul's highest calling is to be if good cheer. I'm not sure if that's attributable to Keats or Yeats or another poet I studied in college, but I strive to live by that phrase. And you are living proof it can be done.

Roxie, the walkers with the seats are marvelous. Some of the people I take care of have them and they are terrific. I'm glad you stood your ground and insisted on one. As to packing up and going to your brother's, I can understand. What I suggest is think about it. Take your time and think about it. If I were being pressured, my answer would be an immediate "no!" So take a little time to mull it over. Being pressured makes it so I can't even think. If your answer is still no, then so be it. It'll be your decision and not a reaction to pressure.

To everyone, I enjoy your posts. You are helpful and strong and good friends. Meeting you has made a measurable and positive impact on me.

Thank you Dianne (((HUGS)))

I used to not be able to deal with these attacks but I got help.
Dr. Michael Tompkins, author of "Digging Out".
On the A&E message boards back when "HOARDERS" was still on the air.
The things he wrote to me helped me so much in how I now deal emotionally with this.
Bless him for his truly kind and generous spirit.
(((Dr. Tompkins))) :)

Hello everyone! Good to read your posts! Hooray for all of the good work. Thank you for the "happy dance" Tillie! Yes I did get into that closet. Took the two little bags of coins I found in there to bank--$29.97! That brings my total take (so far) to $33. I keep telling myself there's $100, and I'm a third of the way there!

Roasted a turkey for a person who is a shut-in today. Counter space! Clear sink! Clean fridge! Well I won't go so far as to say cooking a turkey was a joy, but it was great in my nice clean kitchen! And I cleaned it up immediately.

Dianne, the story of the friends tossing their trash into the back of your car resonated with me. Just so upsetting. Just socked me in the gut.

Diane, you are so industrious. I know how discouraging it is to be a hoarder. We all do. I swear sometimes I get tired just from reading all that you've accomplished. Keep your chin up. You're doing great work.

LR, keep up the good boxes work. Funny, I used to stuff papers in boxes and feel like I'd straightened up. And now, I realize that the boxes were just clutter dens. None left in the house, will see what evil lurks in my storage spot.

Hope to hear from all of you soon. Thinking of Roxie and Bitsy and Karl and sending all my best to everyone here.

I just wrote a long note and it disappeared, darn it x 2. Basically worked all day mostly in big bedroom. Has a storage area that is hoard to ceiling. Mice took Mollys food up in purses, she has been gone since November, so old food, I jumped and the hoard fell on me, only a few scratches. really sad how much crap I stuffed in there. at this moment, I never want to go in there again.
Organized some stuff on deck that re cluttered. fleeting thought, I am getting worse at clutter, just dealt with messes today, then read your posts, and feel much better and reminded me I have made lots of progress, thanks so much.

Good morning. Following up on my goals from yesterday: I did eventually get them all done.

I ended up bringing home four boxes from storage to go through, and while I was at that storage place I rearranged some things to make the other boxes more readily accessible. I was able to reduce the four boxes I brought home down to one. I was able to make quick work of it once I got started. Some boxes took as little as five minutes to deal with! Most of the contents of the boxes were old papers that can now be shredded. I feel good about having finally started this project. It's been on my personal "to do" list for months.

Hearing diane talk about her car project reminded me that the inside windows of my vehicle needed attention, especially the windshield. While my supper was cooking in the microwave last night, I grabbed a paper towel and some vinegar and wiped part of my windshield (inside of driver's side). Dirt and dust had been building up there, and it had been getting harder to see out of it at certain times of the day (when the sun would hit it at a certain angle). I need to do more cleaning there later, but at least for now, I can drive a little more safely.

I'll probably post more later, but it's time for breakfast right now. I did make some fresh tea yesterday, Roxie, so . . . iced tea clinks to your coffee cup!

When I get my free things, I never know how much I should keep. Within the last couple of weeks, I got 36 8 oz containers with screw on lids and 36 6 oz containers with screw on lids. How many of each do I keep. I have already used a few. I have lots of spiral notebooks - I do use them at work, but when they were on sale, I was buying 18 at a time. I need someone to tell me a number. My helper had set a limit of 10 paper bags and that is what it is kept at. How do you set limits?

Tillie, you are so dear--growing like weeds! Was happy to hear from you, Roxie. Keep up the good work but don't push too far, too fast. Rebuilding health and strength take time.

Giant thanks to Diane and LR. I joined chat today and got started on the closet. At last. Not nearly that bad. I took out three large trash bags of essentially bags. All sorts of bags-- plastic, paper, reusable grocery bags, flannel bags that came with purses, garment bags from long defunct boutiques, boxes from stores that closed long ago, watch boxes, Christmas boxes. Okay, I've gone too far here--if you're still reading, sorry for that!

Managed two recycle bags of plastic hangers and have one large bag for goodwill. Two pretty black coats are in it--one is cashmere but I have so many coats and I'm letting it go. NO BUGS OR CREATURES ENCOUNTERERD! Yay!

Still have a lot of work to do on closet but I faced my fears and got in there! Thank you everyone! I'm hoping to find a hundred dollars So far found three, only $97 to go! Did find two bags of change, will take to bank tomorrow.

Keep up the good work!

The online chat work sessions are so great. Helps me see things differently.
Got all dishes done and put away. Mowed lawn. This morning, then got on chat and did car.

I am pretty tired now, so may not do any more today.
I only work one day this week so have an outfit for that. Hope to find more outfits in closet tomorrow if not tonight. Going to take a smoothie out on deck and have long break. Thanks

Happy you are getting stronger Roxie. Tat, getting rid of credit cards is a priority, and you are doing it!! LR, very balanced work load today, good for you, and thanks for the support this am. I was making up reasons not to wash car. You talking about cleaning your car and that you do not mind washing yours, really helped. I washed car, then waxed it, looks great, then decided to vacuum inside. Saw the spilled coffee and other junk with new eyes, so took everything out and I mean everything, mats, blankets,pillow, coat, tire pump, spare tire, trunk liner, vacuumed it all inside. still have to wash mats, they are gross. This was not fast, took hours. Opened hood and checked all fluids, hoses etc, all fine. Started washing inside and finally ran out of energy. I bought the car in 2006 new, and have never took everything out before. Cleaned door jams maybe twice. Never washed floor mats. Never checked spare, jack etc before today. You would not believe all the food under the seats, in trunk etc, but not one critter. I have experienced cleaning thoroughly in here, so thought I would try it out on the car. Still need to wash interior windows and some other little areas, need toothbrush to reach. It feels nice to know I will not be embarrassed when I put clinic supplies in or take workers in car. I semi cleaned last year before clinics, but hid stuff under blanket, now so much better. I wanted to do anything other than wash the car this morning, and now so happy I got on chat and talked with LR about cleaning cars. Hope all is well with you today.

I haven't posted much either but have been keeping up with everyone's posts. Good to see you even for a minute last night, LR. I have been maintaining my clean and cleared spaces and have been talking myself down from buying stuff. Today is the perfect day for me to implement the excellent suggestions re dealing with that closet. It's really the last frontier before I deal with storage space. Today no work AND it's trash night. I have all the supplies I need--gloves, mask, bug spray, trash cans and it appears I am out of excuses for ignoring it.

Getting rid of the clutter is helping me deal with my financial problems, which really started piling up in the last five years. Have now paid off two credit cards and have a plan in place for the third and final card. Very excited. I also feel I can start dealing with my weight. (Also packed on in the last 3-5 years). I am so happy to find you all. You are helping me to make positive, measurable changes in my life. You have helped me find the strength to deal with the tough stuff. How lucky am I?

Hope you are all well. I appreciate your friendship and support.

Good morning. As I mentioned at chat last night, although I haven't posted much this past week, I have been reading your posts. Great to hear from you all. Iced water clink to your coffee cup, Roxie! (I need to make some fresh tea.)

One of my goals for today is to get a couple of boxes out of storage, put them on my back patio, and at least begin to sort through them. (I'm hoping that most of what I find inside will be things I can now trash or shred.) I also plan to add to my gratitude list, get some bills paid, and spend at least fifteen minutes organizing some of my financial paperwork.

Have a good day, everyone.

Today was the big day, I attached the roof ridge cap, not great, but ok. Then I patched all the areas I could until I was exhausted and the wind started really blowing. There is one little area that I do need to finish tonight, looks like rain is blowing in, at least it is finally in low 80's and will be in 70's this weekend. Have so much more energy when it is cooler. I was so sad my dog sitting days were over then today I find out Nellie is coming here in a few weeks and Max will be here end of Oct. so happy to have that to look forward to. Short visits but comforts me to have them here.
Just realized did not start washing machine, will soon. I wanted to watch the dr Phil show today on hoarding, but forgot, rerun I have missed 2 times now. There is a big fire 70 miles from here and wind has blown smoke all that way past few days. I keep reminding myself to stick with the task I am doing, get distracted so easily, and what ever pops in my mind seems impt., roof is important, need to finish that today. Dishes are impt. so did wash those. I am so happy it is cooler, this was the hottest summer here since I have lived here and winter was the coldest winter in decades, strange weather. I love having this site to sign into and feel connected, who else could understand how difficult it is for me to stay focused and finish projects. Yesterday I left the water on in the yard for hours, totally forgot I turned water on. Checked fire ants today, still alive, just less of them. I sprayed them with poison, boiling water then some nasty poison pellets for them. They are amazing how they are able to just keep going. Reminds me of us, no matter how bad the clutter is, we keep working on it.

Roxie, I am glad your home and doing a little better.
Meds. I only have six a day now and that seems like a lot to me. And I am hoping I don't have any new major medical for at least a couple more years. Every day my body reminds that I am old but only this last month have I realized that my children are really not young any more. Thanks for your info about professionals. The two professional companies I talked to back in June or July gave me quotes of $15,000.00+ for the NE Atlanta house. Seems a little steep. I need to check with the ones referred on this site. It won't need any deep cleaning because it will be sold as is and probably torn down (the similar brick ranch next door was torn down and a Mc Mansion was built there). or gutted and a second story added like a house across the street. It is in a very desirable location just inside the perimeter, so I hope I can get enough from the property to cover what's left on the equity loan. (It was all paid off until the bottom fell out of the economy).
Today I need to take care of some financial matters and pay some bills.

Tillie, I smiled ear to ear seeing feathers flying and thinking the cats probably thought you had gotten some birds for them to play with. Roxie, happy to know you have friends to get groceries etc. When I had hip surgery, living alone, saw an article in paper that there is an interfaith volunteer group that puts up railings for steps, which I had done. they also offered to do other things for me, but I was ashamed of hoard so said no. Wonder if there is a similar group there. Life is difficult alone when recovering, so I hope you check out sources of assistance. good you hired people to declutter.
Today was hot again so did not get much done, tomorrow hopefully will cool down. I did go visit a couple that have relatives from New Zealand visiting, it was so much fun, nice people.