Good Morning :)

Hi Tatoulia :)
Good Luck with your cleaning tasks today! :D
1996? that seems like just last week. LOL ;D
Just where does all the time go?

Hi Diane :)
You sure have been working hard (((HUGS)))
I know exactly what a 20 year old man type stuff hoard looks like, an almost impossible task to untangle.
WAY TO GO!!! for getting those piles cut down to being shorter than you! :D
Worrying about you pushing yourself and burning out.
REMEMBER to take enough breaks, get out and away from it all to refresh yourself.
When tired, REST.
I know you want it all done yesterday and will push until you can't any more.
Treat it like a part time job, 6 hours a day is more than enough.
(((HUGS)))

"CLINK!" for Roxie (((HUGS)))

Another cold overcast day.
Late afternoon into evening it snowed a little then it rained a little off and on.
House isn't really clean but I have just been "spot cleaning" the worst things.
Have some bags of fertilizer that I plan to spread in my garden in April.
Supposed to warm up here again soon but I have seen it snow on mother's day and the 4th of July here.
LOL :D

Great work, Diane! Carl--I bet having a better lighting situation at home will be wonderful. I need good lighting in my house Tillie--as ever--you are the vision of cheerfulness and industry.

My house is filthy. It's like my eyes were opened this am. Going to start on bathroom. Will report more later.

Hello and much love to all!!

PS DIANE--it's been 20 years since 1996? That was a revelation--when I read your post, I thought, papers ftom 1996? Just a few years ago. Ugh. No wonder my body doesn't look the same.

Reread my post and sounded like I was trying to finish craft room tomorrow. I am just trying to get all cloth, fabric, yarn etc out this week. Still have tons of beads, jewelry, buttons, and all kinds of things that are filling the room. At least no piles are taller than I am, anymore.

Hi everyone. Tat, nice reminder that space is a real thing, yes the final frontier at my home for sure.
Yesterday a full pickup load and then some went bye bye, 2 different friends visited, then I bagged more craft stuff last night and today. Car is full once again for tomorrow another drop off. I am really tired of the grey skies and severe winds. No snow like you Tillie , just a little a few days ago. Friday is supposed to be 72 degrees here, so really want to get closet of craft room empty and vacuumed tomorrow. Discovered papers in there were mostly from 1996, do you realize how a hoard 20 years old looks? Caulking fell out of window, but I never knew because was never back in there. Tonight I vacuumed a little of the floor that was empty. When I got up this morning I did not want to do anything, but started in there and actually got a bunch done. The grey skies got to me and had a tough afternoon, then decided to sort some old buttons and jewelry for donations, I actually got a few gallons of donations on top of all the bags.
of crafts.

Hey Peeps, wassup? ;)

Hi Karl :)
Great plan you have there! :D
Nice that you have a car for a few days.
Enjoy your brighter illumination. :)


Well, not actively snowing here today
but
cloudy, windy and bone chilling cold.
Wondering how my lilac buds and other foliage is holding up. :/
I ate too much today and feel stuffed & uncomfortable but the stuff was tasty.

Till later taters ;)

It is STILL snowing! :D
Not making any snowman...
the snow is too wet and heavy
plus
the wind keeps blowing it all sideways as it falls.
Sort of a blizzard like condition. :)

LOL :D

(((hugs)))

Space: the Final Frontier!

I cannot stop giggling and smiling. You are BRILLIANT!!

It Is SNOWING!!! :D
The mountains may get as much as one foot of snow!!!

Good Morning Everybody :)

HI Tatoulia! :)
LOL your Mom has a billion friends in China :D
You are doing a Wonderful job helping her (((hugs)))
I know too well how hard it can be.
I am glad she has such a compassionate caring Daughter.

Space = The Final Frontier

Diane ;)
How many times have I told you that you should post here even when you haven't done any decluttering/cleaning.
This thread is for connecting, sort of journalizing our days.
Post when we are happy, sad, mad or indifferent.
This is where we can all post "whatever" to stay connected with others who understand.
(((hugs)))

Today I will accomplish NOTHING.
It is snowing.
That is all the excuse I need to do NOTHING.
LOL :D

O.K. maybe if the snow is good enough I might make a snowman.

TTYS ;)

Yay Diane!!! You are amazing! I always call my donations of unused stuff "boulevard of broken dreams" as a way of accepting getting rid of yarn or origami paper, etcetera. Have been working on mom's place. Her latest excuse is "a friend made that for me" when she won't let me donate something. I then find the " made in China" tag, point it out to her, and we have a big laugh about how many friends in China she has! I was a little cross with her about one thing but for the most part let her keep whatever she wants-- I only press on the cheap stuff that I don't know where it came from, why is it on the floor wedged behind piles of stuff, and now it's a treasure? The books, magazines, etc I'm being very understanding. I
Trying so desperately to get her apt better--really just a room with a kitchenette. She keeps falling and the rules of assisted living are they need to call fire dept to pick her up. Then there's no room for fire responders because of all the stuff. I'm working on it. Made sure her Easter basket was a brightly colored paper plate so there's nothing to keep or attach any meaning to. Poor mom. Such a struggle. I struggle with myself too but have learned to value "space is a thing" from our own dear Tillie.

Thanks so much Tillie, for your kind, wise words. I have a difficult time figuring out what I really want to keep that I find myself bagging up almost every thing. It crossed my mind that I won't have anything left when I want to sew or craft. You are right, I can go to a thrift store or regular store and buy what I need. Hopefully this nightmare hoard will remind me not to go overboard again. Today I really just want everything gone. I want to empty the room and paint it, and only put what I can really use in there. Not easy to explain the extent of the hoard, massive undertaking. Now that I have spent a year and a half, trying to organize my hoard, and your words, you cannot organize a hoard, I just want it gone. I am very aware I have difficulty making decisions, and that is why I am bagging up and donating almost everything. I have agonized over possibilities of using all of this stuff and wasted so many hours and years trying to figure it out. Never thought the day would come when I would be willing to bag it up and get rid of it. Remember a few months ago when helper and other friend loaded up a 4'X8' trailer and all vehicles with donations from rock room and I freaked out? Now I see it was necessary so I could see I can live without stuff from floor to ceiling. Thanks for your continued wisdom and friendship

Hi Diane :)

Having all that stuff in your craft room has been keeping you away from achieving your dreams.
Once you have the materials & supplies down to a reasonable amount you can then get in there and create.
You will be able to easily sew and make dog toys and all sorts of wonderful projects.
If you find that you need a specific crafting item you can go out and get exactly what you want instead of "making-do" with something less than your vision.
Keep a mental picture of your finished craft room and you in there having a blast. :D


Almost everything I have has come from charity thrift shops.
My clothes, shoes, linens, curtains/drapes, blankets, furniture, kitchenware, beads, fabric, craft/sewing notions, hardware, etc...
and so much more.
I am forever grateful to everyone who has generously donated such lovely things.

THANK YOU! (((HUGS))) :)

Happy easter to you. Tillie I started to post yesterday but felt bad because I did next to nothing. This morning at 4am my mind was churning, anxious to get started on craft room, and even more fearful, of going in there. I am so overtired. When in there, put my emotions aside and just started bagging everything cloth, yarn, fabric, clothes, felted wool and on and on. It was an amazing accomplishment, filled a carful of stuff, we are talking hundreds or thousands of dollars worth of stuff. Just kept telling me someone will be really happy to have this and may even use it! Still a mess in there. I must have 12 gallons of buttons. Many many beads, costume jewelry. My goal is to clean out all cloth things before I get side tracked with the little stuff. I am praying for the courage to continue to be heartless and just bag the rest of fabric up today. The dreams of my creative adventures in there are being hauled out to the car, it hurts, hard to let go of dreams. Thank goodness I have clean rooms to show me that it is worth it to get rid of this stuff and not waste months going through it, the end result will be the same whether it takes 1 week or 2 months to clean it out, it will be empty enough to put sewing machine up and actually use it. By getting rid of it all now and not going through every little thing, I will be able to enjoy the room so much sooner. Thanks for your support, all I want for my Easter miracle is to have all the cloth out of there and anything else I can haul out today.

Good Morning & Happy Easter :)

Yesterday I did some easy stuff in the yard.
Then I also cooked some food.
Made ginger bread too :D
Kitchen is all clean. Nice to wake up to a clean kitchen.
Planning to relax and play today & tomorrow I need to clean the house.
He refuses to remove his shoes when he comes in and has really trashed the floors. :(
He always says "I forgot". Butthead

Hoping you are all well.

AFK

Good Morning Everybody :)

Hi Diane :)
Wonderful update on all your progress!
WTG!!! :D
Great you have some one there to see this in person and give you support and encouragement.
I really like her and she is so right, once you have made the donate decisions, move it out, don't save it for someone or a yard sale.
Holding on to it just mucks up all your progress and leads to other things not getting done, a road block.
Don't feel guilty about the other person wanting all your stuff. She is sabotaging your progress by being selfish and not concerned about your wellbeing and happiness.
Happy you have dogs to play with this weekend!
Enjoy your dog time. Do fun doggy things. :D

So many things I want to accomplish this weekend but that would involve his participation.
Don't think that is going to happen. :(
The mornings start out very cold but soon it warms up nicely. Lots of sunshine, little breeze.
I should do yardwork.
Need to cook food, clean kitchen.
Will see which one wins. ;)


TTYS :)

Hi Tillie, so great to read your posts, always good info, so happy neighbor helped you, Took your advice, washed sheets this morning, no bed bug bites tonight!!! I do appreciate the clean rooms, and good advice not to focus on what is left to do. Helper came over today to drop off her dog for the weekend, I am dog sitting for free to help repay her for all she has helped me with. She has me email her daily on what is going on, goal wise, helps me be accountable for progress. She did a surprise walk through today, she took pictures, stating it looks better than ever, I vacuumed and cleaned up before dog got here, felt good for her to say she noticed all the little things I have improved since her Tuesday visit. Another dog is coming for the weekend, so probably won't get much done, which is ok with me. My friend on trip emailed me today and begged me not to take any more donations to thrift store, she wants it. I said depends on how much you will donate to my pickup canopy fund, that stopped her for a few emails then she said I will have a garage sale for you and haul off left overs. I do not want to have a garage sale. My helper agreed, just keep giving to thrift stores since friend is wealthy and can buy stuff from thrift store that I donate!! I did email and say, "bet you are sorry you said no, when I asked you to help me". She did not realize I had such good stuff, snooze you lose. She will be back from her trip on Wed. but I will have another load gone by then. I think I need to not feel guilty for giving stuff away before she gets back. Helper encourages me to just let it go now, sooner the better so I don't want to keep it after I see it sitting around.

Hello Everybody :)

Hi Diane :)
HAPPY DANCIN all over that cleared floor! :D
WAY TO GO!!!
All those empty bins are there to show you just how much you have done, a progress report ;)
Make sure that you take the time to see how much you have done to improve your space.
Enjoy it!
Do not focus too much on all that you still want to get done, remember baby steps/one thing at a time and it will all come together very soon for you. (((HUGS)))


Well, it was a busy day here today.
Neighbor friend came over early to help me move some heavy stuff.
Then there was lots of other stuff I did.
Yesterday I went into town and bought food.
Tomorrow I might do some laundry if the winds behave.
I think the coyotes are around because everybody's cats have been acting real squirrely.
Turned on my computer a little while ago and read that a childhood friend of mine has died.
That's depressing.
Well, it's late and I am tired.

Good Night and don't let the bed bugs bite. :)

Good to hear from all of you, so happy you made it through Roxie. Thanks Tillie. Yesterday helper came, I was a nervous wreck until she got here, then she was so kind, we filled both cars and both went to thrift store and emptied both cars, both got receipts for her taxes. Last night and today I filled more bags and bins from craft room. Put them in the back seat of car, still more room. Garbage can almost full. Yesterday after we dropped stuff off, went to Costco and bought all the food I was out of plus some. The bosc pears are soooooooooo good. I pulled weeds today after I put donations in car. Put new bigger "for sale' sign in RV. Goofed off with rocks a bit, not enough. Tough to allow myself free time as long as the hoard is yelling at me. I stashed a bunch of empty bins and bags in my stuffed garage, so hard to just get rid of them still.
Tillie, would you believe there is a floor in the craft room? Can actually see more floor than I have in many years. Stacks are no longer taller than me that are still needing attention. Today was a good day for seeing that as great as the fabric is, I will most likely never use it and just packed it up for donations. It really is a miracle

Roxie!

"CLINK!"

Thank you for the update.
We worry about you when you are away too long. :(
Hope things get straightened out quickly.
Take care and post when you can.

((((((((((((((((HUGS)))))))))))))))))

Hi Everybody :)

Hi Diane :)
Soooooo busy there! :D
WTG!!!
Very sorry that your acquaintance was so rudely late without even a phone call.
Hope you are having a less stressful day today. (((HUGS)))

Hi CriticalMass :)
You sure have had a full week!
WAY TO GO! Especially for all the good thinking you've been doing.
Those small clutter monsters DO tend to grow bigger and then they have babies and try to take over everywhere.
Sort of like mold, kill it when it's still small. ;)

Hi Anonymoniker :)
YEA!!!
HAPPY DANCE!!!
Wonderful to hear your good news.
Enjoy jogging in the wind in a long dress. :D HaHaHa

Was going to go get groceries today but decided the tire on the car is too low to risk driving it.
It has a very, very slow leak that takes weeks to let the air out.
Honest, it' the truth. Even if I am happy about not going out.
Will ask him to air it up tonight then go tomorrow.

AFK ;)

Today i am doing several loads of laundry in my new washer & dryer!!! YEA!!! Yesterday i cleaned the right side of my closet floor!!! It was aweful & now it is clean & empty, with only one small bag of clothes that, for now, make sense to keep!
The wind is crazy here today, so i may go jogging in a fun flowing long dress!!! ha ha ;D

Hello everyone - y'all are doing AWESOME. :)

Diane, good for you to not be the patsy about stuff for others. We start out with good intentions with that but it becomes a trap. Speaking for myself, I'm learning to tell people if they want it, they have to come get it by X time or I'll take it away myself. And learning to keep my mouth shut and just get rid of it without mentioning it to others in the first place more of the time.

Finally, I used to go out trolling the stores (regular or thrift) for stuff I usually didn't need, and in the process spying things that I would feel compelled to buy for other people! As if I'm some sort of Stuff Clearinghouse on two legs - rescuing the poor lonely stuff from a terrible fate, finding it a good home, and filling other people's "needs" that they might not even know they had! I realized one day that if the other people want those items, let them go out and look for them. That's not to say if I found a specific item that someone had made a point to tell me about, and would reimburse me for promptly, I wouldn't get it for that person, but that rarely happens.

I think we all have a struggle distinguishing self-care from selfishness, and again, we mean well. But it gets out of hand and becomes something that drags us down and drains us. Then we're not much good to ourselves or anybody in a meaningful way.

My own update - last week was super busy and crazy. My roommate was sick, and in need of a car. She's now recovering and has found a good car. And I was dreading facing cleaning my room for the bug man. But - I got the room done pretty well. I was amazed and thankful! There's a bit of fine-tuning before the bug man comes, but I'll know what day he's coming.

Post-decluttering maintenance is always key, I'm finding. My room is a small space, and even when decluttered and neatened, since it's where I live and have my essentials it can start to entropy really fast. Something falls over, a new piece of important mail comes and needs to be where I can see it (my ADD out of sight out of mind executive functioning issue comes into play if I put those things away before there's closure on a matter). And then there are the cats, walking on stuff, and the klepto one looking for something to steal!

So I've got to train myself to see where little clutter problem areas are trying to start and not let them get bigger. They are sneaky, like some kind of sci-fi aliens that you think you've killed and they regenerate when your back is turned! :O

Yesterday I figured out how to streamline a process for dealing with some paper backlog, and that makes me happy. It'll lead to faster going on a lot of the paper clutter in the long run. I'm learning to just apply butt to chair and do the data entry or the sorting and tossing or whatever it is. Put on some music, let my rabbits out to play in their pen, and just roll with it.

So all in all, can't complain. It's been windy here, too, and changeable. I guess that's just part and parcel of spring coming in for real. Hope we don't have any tornadoes or late winter nipping of all the budding and blooming things.

Good laugh, thanks Tillie!!! Great place to live for oh so many reasons-------------
Dog owner was 3 hours late to pick up dog, I was not happy about it. Like usual I get anxious when people are late, and not to even call, irritating. Tried to cancel helper tomorrow, since I was sick of people, she was so great and convinced me to relax and don't worry about cleaning tonight. My car is now loaded of donations, garbage almost full, busy girl this week. Wanted to get all donations out to car before rain hit today, so got it done. Took a lot out of me to wait and worry about friend being 3 hours late, guess friends don't do that to friends.
Tomorrow will be better

Hi Everybody :)

Hi Diane :)
WAY TO GO! for continuing on even after you have run out of sorting out steam. :D
But sometimes we just have to take a little vacation from all that mental work.
Wishing you a fun decluttering session. (((hugs)))

Spring in this area is known for having raging winds.
Some years are worse than others.
Not much outside stuff gets done once the winds pick up.
They have been raging hard for the last seven hours today. :(
The house fills with dust and grit.
I get all itchy and sneezy from all the allergens and the cats get all freaky and ornery.
Static electricity levels get ridiculously high.
The top soil blows away and the sand dunes drift everywhere.
Otherwise, this location is a very nice place to live. :)

LOL TTYL :D

Hi Tillie and gang
Thanks Tillie I have been tough on myself for running out of decision making energy. Filled another big bag this morning, then wilted. Getting second wind after reading your note, thanks. Fingers crossed to getting rid of car graveyard. Good day for movies and relaxing sounds like.
Loaner dog's owner will be here around 3pm today, so need to get dishes done and things cleaned up a bit. I really like to get through more of fabric before helper comes tomorrow, fondly named the hurricane, she seems to swirl things up and out of here before the hurricane emergency alarm goes off.

Hi Diane :)
FANTASTIC! WAY TO GO!!!
So much done! :D
And, I am very happy you are not holding donations.
The sooner they leave, the better.
Frees up space and lets you see your progress.
Yes, those millions of little things to make decisions on are real boogers.
Our brains can only make just so many decisions in one day before we just can't do any more. (((hugs)))

Buyer will come by tomorrow to look at the truck.
This morning was lovely but by noon the wind started up.
By afternoon it was blowing real hard.
Supposed to be another storm coming in over night.
I spent a lot of time today watching movies since there was no doing stuff outside.

Hi Tillie, yes it is a trap to save things for others, such a people pleaser, if someone asks, hard to say no. Today I brought so much stuff out of craft room and bagged it up. Still some in living room but I am worn out. Once again it was easy to part with large pieces of fabric but difficult deciding on many of little things, frustrating. I did fill at least 4 large bags, they are on deck. I made a list of donations, took pictures, all day, will give to helper, since she needs deductions, she will take things to store and get receipt. She is coming Tuesday instead of Wednesday, she told me today, so asked her if she would take my list and pictures and donations with her, she said she would be happy to. Much better than saving all the stuff for 2 weeks. Since I get so distracted, she told me to just focus on cloth items this week, so every time I started going through other stuff, I went back to cloth only, and was able to get so much done.
Tillie thanks for the update on your day and all the fun you had, hope you will rest after all of that work! So happy he unloaded some of the junk, and that a potential buyer is coming.

HAPPY SPRING!!! :D

Hi Diane :)
WOW!!! WAY TO GO!!!
You sure have been busy! :D
Love reading how you are arranging your yard rocks. Sounds so pretty.
Please do NOT save things for others.
That is a clutter trap.
You need to do what is right for you, when you need to do it.
That is FANTASTIC that you are getting together with other rock hounds!
Hope they can teach you lots & lots of cool things! :D
Plus they can tell you about good spots to find certain types of pretty rocks.

Well, yesterday he pleasantly surprised me.
He filled the truck and made a run to the dump.
Unfortunately, on his way back home he stopped at a thrift shop and bought a bunch of stuff he does not need.
Keep your fingers crossed for me today...
Have a possibility to unload a truck from this vehicle junk yard that I call home.
Hoping the guy comes and buys the truck and maybe I can interest him in a few other derelict vehicles too. ;)

Yesterday I burned stuff in the burn barrel. Love doing that! :D
Unwrapped the insulation from the water spigot, hooked up the hose and got that all ready for watering.
Need to get some fertilizer.
Need to get some food too but for some reason I am very resistant to leaving the house lately.
Need to force myself to go out in public. LOL
Wish I wasn't always so scared of humans.

Everybody, have a wonderful SPRING day! :D

Hi everyone. Tillie, how did today go? Sure hope he got some junk loaded up and to dump. Nice you have had warm weather.
I worked in yard all day today and yesterday. I hauled all of my big petrified wood up to display by steps. I feel serene when surrounded by my big petrified wood. Then decided to haul all of my lava bombs up to upper yard and put them all in one area, some are very heavy and awkward so much fun, any thing to avoid craft room. We started on craft room Wed., then I continued to get things bagged up. Yesterday and today I have not wanted to deal with new stuff to sort. My plan is to start on round 2 tonight and tomorrow morning. A friend wants my craft stuff but just went on a trip and won't be back for 2 weeks. I was trying to figure out where to store stuff for her, then realized, why trouble, just take to thrift store, she has been unwilling to help me, just wants to take stuff. She has picked up 2 SUV loads already. I still want to "people please" and save it for her, she needs tax write offs, I don't have enough income to need deductions. As I write this I see how silly it is that I stopped sorting because I ran out of room to store her stuff. Just put in car and haul it off Monday.
I had so much fun, went to my first rock club meeting on Wed. night then went to a rock hounds house in another town, Thursday, and spent the whole day, such fun.

Good Morning Everybody :)

Hi Anonymoniker :)
Happy to hear you are enjoying your improved areas! :D
Yes! Buy new socks and toss the old ratty ones,
your feet will thank you. ;)

Have no hopes that anything will get done around here this weekend.
Then if something does get done I will be pleasantly surprised.
The yellow jacket wasps have woken from hibernation and are starting to nest in all that driveway clutter.
Fun. :(

TTYL

Hey Tillie?! Im glad you have a free day! You deserve to treat yourself to something fun & luxurious! You are such a dear! I hope you realize that all throughout your day, today!!!
Im getting my new water filter installed today & am going to work on my bedroom closet floor. Just throwing obvious trash out, for now....my sock drawer project didnt go too well...ha ha....i think those years of poverty are what made throwing out socks that arent completely full of holes or stretched out super badly so hard...i need to buy new socks before i can let go of the older ones.
Im finding that liking the improved areas of my place is absolutely wonderful!!!
~Happy improvements to you all!!!~♡~☆~♡~☆~♡~

Hi :)

Today I am washing cat quilts and blankets.
Since it is not getting so freaking cold at night now, they don't need all these heavier things any more.
Today there is not a single cloud in the sky and I bet it gets up into the low seventies. :D
Have no idea yet what else to do with myself today.

TTYL :)

Good Morning Everyone :)

Hi Diane :)
Thank You. ;)
Great plans you have for tidying up your home.
WAY TO GO!!! for all your maintenance!!! :D
Hoping that today is not too stressful for you.
Hang in there (((hugs)))

Daylight savings time drives me crazy.
Wish they would stop doing it here.
I have done nothing all week except cat stuff.
Maybe today I will do something.
At least the wind has quit raging but now I need to rake some areas again.
Playing outside sounds like something fun I could do today. :D

TTYL

Today I plan to vacuum, clean floors, kitchen bathroom counters will be cleaned. 1 load laundry. Find more donations. Helper comes tomorrow so down to the wire to clean up my act. Yesterday got all dishes washed/put away. So much easier since I got rid of excess dishes. Much easier to vacuum since no excess stuff on floor. I am starting to see advantages of no clutter. We are going to fine tune bedroom then start on the craft room tomorrow, ouch.
Thinking of your blooming flowers Tillie, and happy you have house to yourself now that he is back to work

Hi Karl :)
WOOHOO!!!
Way To Go! :D

Hope you don't have too many items needing fixing.
But anyways, after today your sewing pile will be down.
Good Going! :)

Hi Everybody :)

Wind has been blowing pretty good all day.
Lots of clouds, very little sun shining through.

Hi Diane :)
So sorry to hear you had to get up on the roof and that some old leaks are acting up again. :(
WAY TO GO!!! using all that nervous energy when you couldn't sleep to do so much! :D
I promise you that the major decluttering will eventually be all done.
The faster you work at it, the sooner it will be over with.
I am grateful that you have a helper there working along side you.
But...
You need time between sorting sessions to take in all the positive aspects.
Time to get more comfortable with what has gone out.
Time to appreciate all the good positive changes in your life.
(((HUGS)))

Hi CriticalMass :)
Wishing you LOTS of luck! :D
Prioritize.
You can't do everything at once but you can do the most important thing first.
When that's done do the next most important thing.
I know it's hard but you are only one person and can only do one thing well at a time.
(((HUGS)))

Hi Dave :)
I really do appreciate your wisdom and input here, as I am sure others do too.
I had no advice to offer on selling a vehicle but what you said really makes a lot of sense to me.
Thank you :)

Have not left the house at all, not even out in the yard today.
The cats and I have food enough for now.
Planning to see how long I can go before I must go to the grocery store or starve.
This is how I keep my fridge and pantry under control and food up to date.
Been over a week since my last grocery run and I think I can make it another ten days. :D
This has been a really fun challenge so far.

He has been sitting at his computer in the garage all weekend and hasn't done squat. :P

Tillie I assume you went shopping today and are not buried out in carport. please let us know how the weekend turned out, thanks

Dave you are so insightful, thank you. I was pollyana and just assumed the first person would buy it. I appreciate the thought it is ok not to expect to sell it immediately. I think I must affirm the positive, then when it doesn't happen, I think, right, I am negative and depressed, why pretend to be happy and have it together. Thanks Dave.
Today we had sustained winds with big gusts that decided to show me why I should have attached the metal roofing better that I put on last year. While it was twisting in the wind, I quick got hammer, longer roofing nails and got up on roof and repaired it before metal bent too much so was able to repair it and put more nails in. I always do the minimum just to see if I can get by, except when it came to shopping!!!!!! Or sorting. It was raining/snowing and windy so was a challenge, especially with only 2 hours sleep, it is done. Then got new leak in walkway between garage and house, once again because I did not secure the stuff well enough. I just put buckets there, too cold. When it is nice weather, I think no big deal, then it rains and I regret not finishing things. Out in garage I saw many containers, I have to convince myself to get rid of just too much. At least most are empty now. Tough day, at least I did not go shopping, although I did find some rocks in garage that I stashed years ago before I was a rock hound, so that was my reward for today. Sure hope your day is going well or good or great.

diane, don't be discouraged about the rv.

In selling things, it takes getting some no's to get the yes. The below is about telephone cold calling but it matches my experience in another area:

Positive thinkers tell us to approach each call with the firm belief that the call will result in a sale. BULL! The reality of the matter is that most people you call will mot buy from you. If you call believing they will and they don't, depression will certainly ensue.
If, on the other hand, you call with the clear certainty that most people will say "no", your expectations are in tune with reality and you can keep at it. Occasionally, someone will say "yes" and your elation will know no bounds. It's much better for our mental health to assume the worst and take what comes, than to expect the best an live with perpetual disillusionment.Hank Trisler in No Bull Selling.

If you believe your friend's husband's knowledge is legitimate when he talked with you about the saleability of the vehicle and its proper pricing, you should eventually find the right buyer. I think this would be somewhat like selling a house, you have to find the buyer that wishes to have the characteristics your house exhibits. And the ways in which that kind of thing happens are sometimes fascinating and surprising.

It's true, sick and tired of it seems to be where we have to get to. It has to become a game changer, a paradigm shifter. A spiritual awakening. Call it whatever speaks to your soul the strongest. That's where I got to last year with the horrendously stressful move in May. I could finally harness my anger and say "It's just STUFF!!!" I could hate it, if that was what was necessary, instead of getting all sloppy and sentimental. I could even be . . . DECISIVE!

Right now, a year later (because the run-up to the move was actually beginning in March & April last year), I'm frustrated that despite my resolutions I've got a situation here at my friends. Bug man coming this week and a bedroom that's got piles that I'm going to have to do a quick & dirty stash and dash (putting them in boxes in my van) on Monday.

With ADD I have such an irritatingly imprecise way of tracking time and connecting the dots as to when deadlines actually will be, and what other things are going to be occurring at the same time - such as spring break which changes things because roommate will be home. Now I'll have to work around her and be distracted, rather than being on my own, putting on some music, etc.

Even on my own it's difficult enough with pets underfoot and narrow hallways. I had been going to set up a staging area. Not to mention my own tendencies to get sidetracked. I resolve so many times not to let things get right down to the wire, yet here I am again. *facepalm* Even feeling memories of the frantic, shameful, helpless stress of last year being triggered by the similarity of this current situation.

The things that are a bit reassuring are that a) my roommate is not angry at me, she understands; b) hopefully I can do this if I take the whole day on Monday and just focus on it; and c) in the process of boxing the stuff up, I can label the boxes as to what can stay here and what was stuff I brought over prematurely, which has to go back to the storage unit (sigh, but what can you do sometimes) and only bring back in the basics. That was something I'd been meaning to do when I came to the realization I'd brought too much in, a little here and a little there, and it has been adding up.

Bleah. :P Wish me luck.

Thanks Tillie for the encouragement. Last night I went to bed at 11pm, read, woke up at 1am with book on my face. I was so anxious, I just got up. Last night I felt I could no longer go on with this having a helper, feel so overwhelmed at the speed we are getting rid of stuff. Anxious about quitting once again. I decided to use my sleepless anxiety to start on paperwork again, actually got through all the files and some old stuff of parents. Huge burn pile on floor. Saved some stuff to take a picture of and email to sister before I burn it. with only 2 hours of sleep with a book on my face, feel a little hopeless. Tillie when I read your post, gave me hope. At this moment you can see my progress and success, gave me a glimmer of the same. My car is full of donations, pickup is full of stuff to take to dump, just feel stuck, with no place to put excess, just have to go to thrift store and dump and start filling again. Seems endless at this moment. I have already worked 5 hours getting rid of stuff this morning, and now is the time I normally get up, so guess I should be grateful I got a head start on the day.

Hi Diane :)
Hope you are all warm and snuggly now.
Sorry the people were inconsiderately late and that neither customer wanted to buy the RV.
Crossing my fingers that it sells soon. X

Sick and tired of all the excess stuff...
THAT IS IT!!! :D
You sound like you are really on the right track to finally being ready to release.
Within you is the key to breaking free of these chains.
I want so much for you to be free to do all the wonderful and fun things that make you happy.
I know it's difficult and that you have worked so very hard to make these changes.
Keep only the best and things that serve you well.
Release the rest with a glad heart.
(((HUGS)))

I got the RV advertised on Craigs list, finished cleaning it, washed the outside in the cold today. Showed it to two families, neither wanted it. I am cold tired and blue. I did get the wood and kindling chopped and hauled in while waiting for second family, they were 3 hours late. Cleaned chimney, and stove out. Now fire is started and hopefully my fingers and toes will have feeling again soon. Right now if someone came and took all my hoard away, I would not care---I am sick of dealing with it, especially since I emptied out RV, makes me so aware I am sick of extra stuff to deal with. Talk about containers, Time to get rid of them now that I see I am sick of storing stuff I will never use Spending time sorting things, storing them and not being able to find them when I need them, I am really sick and tired of being a hoarder.

Hi Roxie :)
So very sad to read that. :(
You rest and take good care now
and that's an order!
(((HUGS)))

Good Morning Everybody :)

Hi CriticalMass :)
Wonderful to catch up with all you have going on in your life! :D
Make sure to pace yourself going forward with all you have going on there.
Pushing yourself past your limits will only set you back. (((hugs)))

Hi Dave :)
I had to Google "hammered flowers". O.K. ;P lol
Living with another who really, really likes containers of all sorts & sizes I understand their lure for you.
Maybe, just maybe both you Guys should start thinking about the limited space around the home as containers.
A garage to contain a car.
One closet to contain all the clothes.
A dresser to contain the rest of the clothing.
A book shelf to contain all the books.
A shelf to contain whatever it needs to contain, etc...
Emptied space to contain happy people living in peace and harmony. :)
(((hugs)))

Was a walking zombie yesterday from lack of sleep.
Slept very well last night. :D
It's the weekend again................
Wondering if anything will be accomplished.
Yesterday stated out warm with a brisk wind and late in the afternoon turned to rain, sleet & hail.
Today is predicted to be the same.
I have laundry out drying on the clothes line.
Should be all done before the weather changes today.

Logic problem...
The dump transfer station charges by weight to dump there.
The metal recycling place does not charge, they pay you by weight to unload there.
The price for scrap metal has gone down so he says that it's not worth recycling the heavy metal stuff.
He takes it to the dump transfer station where he pays to unload it rather than to the metal recycling place where it is at least free to be rid of it even though they would pay him for it.
:/
Heavy sigh

I'm baaa-ack! :)

Tillie, hope you had a Happy Birthday!

Dave, your humor is priceless. As is ogswife's LOL.

Diane, it's great to have a creative passion - and you have good focus on yours. I have too many of them and have a hard time settling. Remains to be seen how that'll play out. I think decluttering can't help but clarify things.

Joan, nice to meet you - I like your point about thinking outside the box. I can look back and see how I've created some of my own boxes (a storage unit full of them, in essence). It feels so rejuvenating to get out of the boxes such as the Fear of Scarcity Box, the This Might Come In Handy box, etc. And you make an excellent point that while we struggle with the temptations around hoarding, or its consequences, we are way more multidimensional human beings. We are getting unstuck - it shines out when I read these posts just how dynamic we are - and how together we are greater than the sum of our individual selves. :) :) :)

A lot has happened since my previous post.

I paid for my vehicle repairs - at least in part. My mechanic is a great guy in that he knows my situation and will accept payments. Not many do that. However, I'm going to be super tight on money the rest of this month, and probably for another couple at least until I get that wrapped up.

That puts the kibosh on moving to the closer storage unit this month, and to even getting out to my one I have to work on stuff because, gasoline. We'll see, maybe I can do some. This is the story of my life but I'm so exhausted from everything that's been going on that maybe it was meant to be that I slow down. Not stop, but slow down. Another thing that happened is that my roomie's car went kaputz. So I'm driving her to work and wherever so she bought me some gas, but I'm being conservative with it, of course, using it for what it was intended for.

There have been too many things happening, if you ask me! I'm brainstorming ways to make a little money. I'm on disability but I could do something; it has to be something with minimal stress though, due to my issues that I'm on disability for.

It's been a weird spring with all this stuff happening, trying to make plans, having to suddenly change plans because of some new unexpected thing, then when things start to calm down a bit, trying to remember what I was doing before the interruption, getting my bearings and starting to make a little progress till the next crisis, rinse and repeat. I look at the daffodils and crocuses and flowering trees and I'm like "What planet am I on?" Gradually I'm able to wrap my mind around it, but for awhile there it felt like time was speeding up way too fast. And I felt so unready for the spring tasks, gardening and things - total overwhelm trying to think of adding more routines when I can't even establish the routines I want to have now!

I did go out and do some of the stuff that I do as part of my "roommate agreement" in the gardening area, and it is a very beautiful day so it wasn't so bad. I moved like a turtle but I kind of enjoyed it more than I thought I would. I know what things of my own need to be done, and I'm glad to help out, though my energy is depleted from last year. I'm not going to get carried away trying to plant too many things in my own small garden space. I'll leave the hardcore gardening to my roommate, it seems to be more her thing. I like gardens and nature but as I've probably said before, I'm a wimp - when the heat and the mosquitoes arrive, I'm immediately thinking just how lovely it is to spend lots of time indoors with iced tea and air conditioning!

Back to decluttering before I wrap up - I just wish I had some sort of staging area I could take at least some of the stuff in storage to, go to and sort and toss, then put the (hopefully greatly minimized) remainder back NEATLY in the unit - dare I hope even in a smaller unit? As it has been, I've brought home little bundles of stuff over the past year thinking "Oh, this I could dispatch in a jiffy!" Only to have it become part of the pile of new clutter. Well, at least I'm recognizing that pattern, so I'm making myself stop. And I'm even going to have to take some of the bundles back (sigh) because of the termite man coming here at some point soon. (Sigh again.) When the weather is nice, perhaps I can do some mini-sorting like that in the front seat of my van parked by the storage unit, or on a card table. That's for the times when there's not enough time to make a big push.

So basically it's been a series of pauses, realizations of what's not going to work after all, and coming up with different strategies on the fly.