Sorry, everyone, the long post below from me must have been deleted from the "Why Hoarding" thread by mistake, and then reposted to the thread, "What Are You Doing Today". My original post was posted on "Why Hoarding". I have since reposted my original post on the "Why Hoarding" thread.

Re Diane and adventurous. Yeah, spring is coming. I'm waiting for the post about the neighbors had to call the fire department to get her out of a tree.

Container-is that what they call reframing something? It seems like there was a book about supersizing things. I can get the "Hoarder Warm and Fuzzy Feeling" as I let the small fry go by remembering that Mrs Dave's car is being stored in the large economy size peanut butter jar I saved!

Tillie, you are a wonderful person! You may have invented a new craft. You should be making notes of your experiences and approaches to provide details for your book. Tool lists are important too.
One of the books Mrs Dave discarded in the last batchcaused a double take as it went by and I set it aside to scan. (I did have permission to review the book piles before they left.) It was a book on Hammered Flowers.
You seem to have created a related craft called Hammered Glass. :)

Good Evening....

Hi Diane :)
It definitely is a two way street.
I get so much from all of you wonderful people here.
(((HUGS)))
There is no way you could be pigeon-holed and stuffed into a cubby hole labeled hoarder.
You are so very, very much more than a person who has too much stuff.
You are wonderfully creative and imaginative.
You are a skilled health care worker.
You are a very caring and conscientious friend.
You are young at heart and adventurous.
You are a joy to know. (((HUGS)))

Hi Dave :)
So you have a container conundrum.
Small containers for storing tiny stuff
or the large container for storing Mrs. Dave's car.

I would ask you
how wonderful, valuable and irreplaceable are those jars?

To make sure that any "good" glass jars are no longer removed from the household trash here
I have resorted to using a hammer to remove any usability from them. ;)

Hoping I can get some sleep tonight.
Been tossing & turning night after night.
That pain in my left side won't let me be comfortable.
The cats are grouchy from me disturbing their sleep too.
At 2:00am the television programs are real terrible and some are quite disturbing to watch.

Please excuse these ramblings of an insomniac.
;)

I have been having stressful moments with the recycle container lately. Mrs Dave has been DISCARDING perfectly usable glass and plastic jars that she no longer needs for crafts. Unfortunately I am at the point where the only place I have to put them is a large open place in the garage. The large open place in the garage where Mrs Dave parks her car. So, it's like, Is this container worth Mrs Dave moving out over?

When the boxes were going from BOX Canyon in the living room to BOX Mesa in the basement there was (and still is) one labelled Plastic Sacks. Its discovery was followed by a "loud voice" and "foot shuffling" communication session in a BOX Canyon. That box is in addition to Plastic Sack Plaza and the Buried Treasure discovered this morning.

AJ, wife and teecher - you have here a trivial but excellent example from Mr Tillie and Mr Dave of an apparently irrational thought process and the resulting storage issues with which you are coping.

Good morning all. Being in the box of hoarding and only identifying as a hoarder became my life. Getting involved in my hobby of rocks, polishing etc. has given me a reward and a new identity. I have had 3 visitors recently that are long term friends but never allowed in the house. I have doing a lot for their approval, recently I am seeing it is for my comfort and approval to have a clean organized area to relax in.
After my paper work mess yesterday, I am now committed to getting rid of no longer needed paperwork. This morning I have already worked 1&1/2 hours unloading papers, burn, garbage, and a few to file. The gift of missing taxes was, I tore out all the papers from their hiding places, now that I see the volume and the need to simplify, I will keep at it today. Appreciate the miserable weather to keep me inside. Also plan to go out to RV to clean and take pictures to post online to sell. At the last minute I found tax papers under the basket I thought they were in, after my mad search, I realized how painful it is to have excess.
Without a helper I would be still be churning and getting rid of only the minimum. as my dear friend Tillie says, "you can not organize a hoard". Makes sense, and when I am getting rid of stuff, I still make excuses to keep stuff. as my helper was throwing away plastic bags yesterday, I kept saying no I will use those, as she pulled out even more, it became clear, I do not need them all. Same with empty containers, I keep hiding them thinking she does not realize I need them when I do the craft room and garage. She then showed me all of the containers in craft room and no way can I keep all of the fabrics, beads etc; and use the room as I plan, sewing machine, serger, jewelry table. I want to be able to walk in and sew something when I want not, able to now. Goat trails do not provide flat surfaces to do anything fun on. Gardening is a wonderful way to identify who you are, and to appreciate new growth. When my whole world is being buried in a hoard, seems no way out. Allowing another person to guide me would have been impossible a year ago, especially some one I worked for, 10 years, and I respect her. Last week I had her bring a candle holder and candle she had in her bathroom that had ugly rocks around candle. I replaced them with beautiful polished rocks, we were both so happy with the results. I keep thinking of ways to repay her and she says she really gets joy out of being here and seeing all that I accomplish each week. I have gotten tremendous joy from helping others, so just need to learn to believe her
Tillie, I hope you realize how much you help each of us and know how much we appreciate you being here for all of us

Good Morning Everybody :)

Hi Diane :)
You have been doing FANTASTIC!!! :D
Sorry about the missing paperwork.
But with everything else you have been doing, some things weren't done yet because you are only one person and can't do everything at once.
This all takes time.
Things didn't become all jumbled over night and you realistically can't untangle everything over night either.
(((HUGS)))

Hi Dave :)
I asked my plastic sack hoarder...
"Just how many plastic sacks do you really need?"
Looking around at the hundreds, if not thousands squirreled away he answered
"you never know when they all may come in handy".
But if anybody asks him for even just one he will refuse, stating that he just can't spare it.
LOL ;D
Sorry your pretzels went stale over the years.
Next time only store candy canes, they seem to keep better over time. ;)
My mother had candy canes to decorate the tree with.
We children were not allowed to eat them.
She used these same ones year after year until she decided to splurge on some new ones and only then allowed us kids to finally eat the ten year old ones.
They tasted alright but it was very hard to get the wrapping off them.
P.S. we were not by any means poor. ;P

The wind is raging today. Blowing in the next storm.
I have no plans for the day.
Maybe I will just get lost in daydreams.

TTYS :)

March 10, 2016 at 4:16AM, iPad on 4:15AM‼️‼️‼️ Thursday Hi Anony❗️ Great to "hear" from you, and to read that you are giving serious thought to new ways to correct your hoarding. I really feel for you. You have keen intuition, and your thinking is definitely on the right track. My goal in starting this discussion (thread) was to differentiate between treating hoarding as a chronic illness (similar to, say, an addiction problem), and actually CORRECTING the hoarding behavior. I am NOT suggesting that any of the medical models out there cure hoarding, although many of them boast about doing so. In fact, in my experience, most conventional medical approaches make hoarding worse. I AM personally convinced that hoarding is curable, but that to do so we have to look "outside of the box". Unfortunately I cannot give you much concrete advice about how to start on this path. Each person is faced with a unique situation in the hoarding paradigm, and each situation has different parameters and resources (financial and otherwise). It is very important to use your resources wisely. As your health improves, you will automatically become more efficient at utilizing resources. In the beginning of my journey, I had to cast about for effective methods of improving my health, and could not conserve resources. Currently I have a regular weekly routine, and rely on a handful of highly skilled people in various disciplines to support my recovery. You are correct that you cannot do this alone. I would encourage you to think about whether hiring someone to help you with hoarded items is the best use of your resources. It may be. Hoarding has consequences that we all have to live with. Be aware, however, that that would be an expenditure that would enable you to live more comfortably with your hoarding. It would not CORRECT the hoarding. No matter how bad the hoarding is, if you want to aim for a cure, you must set aside some time and some resources to address potential cures. Ironically, strategies for living with hoarding all entail understanding the behavior, whilst avenues of potential cures all entail getting "out of the box". As long as you are in the box of hoarding, you cannot see the role hoarding plays in the bigger picture of your life. So to pursue curative modalities, the FIRST thing you have to do is to stop defining yourself exclusively as a "hoarder". If you want to start a veggie garden, I would strongly encourage you to do so. You say you are afraid it will "distract [you] from fixing [your] mess". As long as you stay in the box of hoarding, since you are not correcting the hoarding BEHAVIOR by staying in the box, your entire existence will be devoted to "fixing" your "mess". Your system will continue to generate hoarding, no matter how much or how often you clean it up. So yes, spend some of your time "out of the box", plant a garden, and see where your intuition takes you from there. Exercise and diet are always important in developing a healthy lifestyle. You are correct, there has to be a shift, probably multiple shifts over many years, before you can cure your hoarding. I am certainly not at the the "cure" yet. I just keep pointing myself in the right direction every day and walking the path. It is not the path less traveled, it is the path untraveled‼️ Hopefully I will have more company as time goes on. I wish you well, and will write when I can. 5:00PM❗️❗️❗️❗️❗️ 5:00PM.

And my pretzels are stale.

Tillie, re BOX canyon, pretty clever. Just today I saw an old post about my 13' long wall of boxes in the living room, so I expect you had it about right. I have been trying to think about a post in wife's thread. I opened my eyes and was confronted with a wall of plastic sacks. I am living a nightmare. :) I have escaped from BOX Canyon to Plastic Sack Plaza. (Shuffling feet) maybe you can have too many plastic sacks??? :)

Diane, such a nice post about things accomplished. I am so glad you are being able to move forward with cleaning and organizing and tidying and that you have help and support for the process. Sorry about the missing tax papers, I know that's frustrating. I'm hiding my head in the sand. I haven't started any tax return work, so I have no missing papers. :)

Hi
Helper came today, we or should I say, she, cleaned out the RV, Things I planned to keep were put in trash, I am amazed that when she puts things in trash, I agree with her, when originally I thought it was worth donating or keeping. Tomorrow I will clean and shampoo RV. so strange how fast it goes when she is here. had taxes done today. couldn't find some papers, wasted 1&1/2 hours looking for paper, more proof I need to finish paperwork

It's worth a try.
Wildflower seeds are hardier than domestic seeds and you just may get something. :)

I too have a box of wildflower seeds for this planting year.
Been trying to think of a good place to spread them.
Also have some packets of mixed butterfly attracting flower seeds.
I think the mice eat most of my seeds.

re: lavender
I did check awhile back, my dollar tree didn't have any lavender seeds. In the box I cleaned out yesterday I did find a packet of Beautiful Expressions wildflower seeds. No Idea what planting year they were for-but elderly. I have a small shaded area surrounded by some rose bushes with a flat rock in the middle. The U shaped area between the flat rock and the rose bushes is (was) cleaned out, starting on new year's crop of weeds-will clear that out again in a couple of weeks and put some of these seeds in there and see if they'll grow (before the squirrels eat them).

I don't know about Diane's geographical location
but here in the High Sierra desert, no moss grows on anything.

Thanks Dave :)
Happy you are enjoying your candy. :D

Since rolling rock gardens don't sound like they would work; Inquiring minds want to know if rocking rock gardens are moss free?

LOLOLOL Dave :D

Sometimes there is no way to escape.
Especially when you are cornered in a "BOX" canyon and the woman has you out gunned.
;P

the pretzels were very stale.
the twix bar was a litle bit stale.

mrs dave has not said anything yet about the 2 ( now rain damaged ) cd storage shelves on the back patio. The only question is whether I will decide what I want to do with them before she does. Tillie, I'm sorry getting some trash runs is such a frustrating process for you.

My husband insists on keeping 5 complete mammoth skeletons in the cave. Last month I got really mad and threw away a foot to one that was in my way while I was building the Saturday night cooking fire. He didn't bring any rabbits home for me for a week. How can I get him to throw some of those bones away? :)

[ We're not discussing new problems here. Dave.]

I cant remember specifics at this point, but I believe Mrs Dave and I have had conversations about why only a raised voice gets results! ( I can't remember if my contributions to the "conversation" were verbal or only foot shuffling-with sideways glances to determine the best route of escape.)

Good Morning Everybody :)

Hi Dave :)
WAY TO GO!!! :D
Proud of you for letting stuff go.
Now treat yourself to some ancient candy. JK :D

Hi Diane :)
Love reading your posts! :D
FANTASTIC! WTG! for all your thinking and actions.
About rocks that don't quite measure up...
Since they are rocks, they can live quite comfortably outside with no ill effects.
Beside my front porch I have an area where most people would plant flowers but I have it filled with rocks.
Rock gardens really rock! ;D

Hi Tatoulia :)
Thank you, so sweet! (((HUGS)))
Happy Birthday!
Way To Go! keeping up on most everything. :D

Still been trying to recover from doing too much in the yard.
After watching him spend a little time farting around with the stuff on Saturday, Sunday morning I totally lost my cool.
Got all frazzled. Raised my voice even.
Said that instead of farting around sifting through little stuff he should be doing big stuff and actually working for hours, not minutes.
It worked.
He actually filled the truck with large stuff for the dump.
Stuff that once was "good" but now was ruined because it got wet, peed & pooped on and all moldy.
Why was it necessary for me to have to get to that state for him to do that?
There is still a whole lot more to go, hope he just does it without me having to freak out on him.

TTYL :)

A certain lady's actions in giving away most of the nice, perfectly good contents of a storage locker continues to be a reminder to be aware of one's thought processes about keeping and discarding items.

Hello everyone ! Only skimmed the posts but my oh my, everyone is moving forward! I have been celebrating my birthday for the past four days-- back to reality and to work tomorrow. Only my BF ever gives me a gift and it is always something I can use, like a membership to a muses it a new handbag, so nothing for me to have to deal with. Dishes fine but behind on laundry-- have been on the go. Will get back to work tomorrow and get back on track with getting house together, diet, and everything else.

Missing you all. Diane, so great to have you back and I'm so proud of your progress! Tillie, you are the best friend any of us could ask for. I'll catch up and posts later but much loveto all. Fun to see a post from CM!!

I LOVE reading your posts, support, understanding and expressing your feelings and perceptions, thanks to you.
I worked more on cleaning out RV, clothes are all packed and in donations bag. Washed sheets from RV, they are my summer sheets for in here, so will keep. Kept a few items. Went through lots of stuff this morning. Started washing silver ware to donate etc. then called a halt to that, just bag it up and donate as is, just dusty, not dirty. Have to go face it again today. Too cold to do it out there, so have to bring in here to sort, not my favorite, love to keep floors clutter free now. I actually use very little of what I thought I had to keep in my clean organized bedroom, in time will let more go. Sweatshirt I wore yesterday is now a goner, just know I have enough and like you Tillie, when I need something there will be an affordable or free replacement. As a child I was extremely poor and I still act like that at times, when in reality, I have taken care to not be in debt, etc. Yesterday was depressed all day, today I feel more hopeful, just want to sell that RV, helpers husband is encouraging me to clean it up take pictures and sell it. He said it is worth more than I thought---we will see. It will be money to buy a nice canopy for pickup and a rock saw, so excited to have a quality rock saw to see inside some of my bigger beauties. When I focus on gratitude everything goes better. I was gifted with a yard full of quality rocks previous owners spent their life collecting, all buried when I bought it. Seems every time I accomplish some work in yard I am gifted with a new find, I missed or just did not recognize before. I continue to read and learn rock identification. Amazes me how much joy my free rocks bring me, no amount of shopping brought me this quality joy---who knew. Yesterday I did notice when I was depressed I went and dug in yard, wondered if it is hoarding--as long as I am tumbling and plan to give/sell finished rocks, it will continue to be a joy. Friends love my rock gifts. As I write this I am aware of new thinking. I have kept some rocks in containers that are not quality and should be returned to yard, so there is hoarding of non collectable rocks to be aware of. Like "work clothes" not good enough but keep to work in, rocks not good enough to do anything with but store anyway.

Found my 2013 Christmas candy.
Maybe I'll do some work towards emptying the box it is in tomorrow.
(I did an easier almost empty one today, moving contents to new locations. The opened bandaid and the opened gauze packet went to trash! The candle and candle holder to donate. 2 - note that's TWO - plastic sacks to a stack for holding other items to donate. Just so you know I didn't keep everything!)

Good Morning Everybody :)

Hi Roxie :)
"clink!"
WTG! for fiddling with the sound and getting it back! :D
Happy, excited and a bit nervous that you will be taking a road trip to Arkansas.
But you will be with your Brother, so I won't worry too much about you. (((hugs)))


"Clutter Blindness"
Our minds can only take in and process just so much at any one time.
The stuff quietly sitting there becomes like background noise.
We get used to ignoring it so much we just don't hear it any more.


Snowing like crazy in the mountains.
Some major road closures.
YEA!!! we need the water! :D
House is dirty and I am trying to find my motivation to do something about it.
Soon as I finish drinking my tea I'll get started on it. :P

TTYL :)

Good Morning

Hi CriticalMass :)
WTG!!! :D
I understand what you are saying even though I don't think that way.
I try to live in the present and not worry about saving/gathering stuff out of fear that in the future they won't be available.
Even though I may not be able to replace something exactly like the older version, I have always managed to find something that works for me just as well, if not better, than the old version when I need to replace/replenish something.
One thing I have noticed about people who tend to hoard is they do not like change.
When things are different it makes them very uncomfortable.

Hi Diane :)
WTG!!! :D
Gloomy, windy, rainy day here too.
We both can expect rainy weather all this next week.
Yep, frozen paint and weathered lumber aren't very good supplies to keep on hand. ;D
In my younger days I too used to chop down trees, haul, stack & split wood to heat my home.
Such hard, hard physical labor. (((hugs)))

Four more daffodils have bloomed. :)

Hi all, gloomy day here. Made goat path on deck a little wider then noticed how one area of yard had become full of paint cans and wood, who put those there? Yep, Tillie you remember me and my paint stash, well now that cans are rusted and have been through several freezes, might be time to say good bye. I am with you Tillie my body is bundle of owies after mass moving of junk yesterday. Yes, blindness, I think I had a reason for keeping it when I put it there but unless I see it with new eyes, I don't see it because there was a reason at one time. Truth is having my helper see things, makes me look more objectively at it. This week we are skipping over the craft room and doing the RV so I can put it on Craigs list.
I decided to clean off deck so can use it as sorting area for craft room stuff, do not want to mess up my clean areas, has been stressful sorting in clean areas, makes me feel like I have made no progress. Keeping clutter out of living areas makes me so happy.
Today I chopped firewood and hauled a bunch up to deck before rains started, being backwoods Jane is wearing on me. Thought it was fun living like it was a 100 years ago for 20 years, but at 67yo it is getting to me, hauling that wood and the mess it makes. It takes a lot of energy to chop haul, clean up firewood.
Need to go grocery shopping sometime.
Happy to see your posts, nice to be doing this together

Tillie, glad he's being reasonable. You're being quite reasonable and I hope in time he will come to see that and how it will be better for the both of you. The blindness thing - I have that too, or have had. My eyes are opening quite a bit these past few years. Maybe he has ADD too. Although I really don't know if that's what causes the blindness to our stuff. It just goes with the hoarding territory, whatever the reason.

Diane, your story about the bike - I love it! I can relate. Sometimes I just want to fling something of my hoard - "Take THAT!!" There's also satisfaction in watching it smash and knowing you'll be less able to "justify" keeping it. Well, some might try to keep it for parts but - NO! Throw the parts away! ROTFL!

Well, if anyone wants to read it, I made my main post today in the forum "Why We Hoard" - in fact, I ended up with a double post . . . I posted about my fear of things becoming unavailable being one of the triggers for my hoarding and acquiring.

Have a lovely weekend, everyone!

Good Morning Everybody :)

My first daffodil bloomed yesterday! :D

Hi Diane :)
Nope, I just am so very frustrated about all this long standing clutter that I have hurt myself trying to clean up a bit around here.
FANTASTIC job you have been doing!! WTG!!! :D
Glad you found your glue sticks. I use my hot glue gun a LOT to fix stuff. Best invention ever.

It lightly rained last night which has removed a lot of pollen and dust from the air. YEA!
Well, he is back to being civil, and I have been able to talk reasonably/rationally with him this morning.
Reason I keep moving things from around the property is because I want him to start seeing the vast amount he has accumulated.
With it dumped everywhere and forgotten, he has become blind to it's existence.
Moving it to a new location near where he is sorting just might remind him that he has sooooo much stuff.
Stuff he has no use or need for. Stuff that has been left to rot while yellow jackets, poisonous spiders, scorpions, snakes, rats and mice make homes in it.
He can keep everything he wants to keep as long as it fits in the garage or his bedroom.
That garage is a lot bigger that this entire house so I am not being unreasonable.

Going to do the usual daily stuff then get out and enjoy this beautiful day :D

Tillie I am so impressed that your body could do all of that, your plan to rest is great. Spring must be giving you extra energy. Must look so nice.
Today I asked myself what would make life better, instead of digging in the yard. I worked on the deck on the rock room side. It got rehoarded over the past year, so bad I could not get to the steps. I started filling garbage bag with all the trash I could reach. Moved some boards. An old very heavy exercise bike finally reached the steps, so I just pushed it and it went down steps by itself with lots of broken parts falling off as it crashed. At least a goat could get from door to steps now, It seems overwhelming that so much accumulated without me noticing. Like every room that was filled to overflowing, I will just chip away at it. Was rewarded with some rocks for tumbling that I sorted over a year ago, really cute little tumblers, they had been buried under tarps, wood, screens etc. so forgot they even existed.
I have the same problem CM of if I can not see it I have no idea where it is. So now I am labeling everything. Today I looked for at least 1/2 hour for glue sticks to fix solar light. No label so even though they were where they were supposed to be I could not see them. Without label, it is like I am blind if not visible. They were in opaque container.

Good Morning :)

About 25 years ago I ate a very tasty apricot and planted the pit in my garden.
Today when I look out the front window I can see that the tree is a little taller than this one story house and it is all covered in blooms. :D

Hi CriticalMass :)
Wish I had a solution for you about your need to see things to remember them.
What about if instead of lists of some things
you took photographs?
Maybe a little photo gallery would work better?

Hi Diane :)
About your friend who drops off your donations for you...
If she is wealthy she probably already has more stuff than she needs.
Her wanting more stuff makes me worry that perhaps she has a problem with acquiring. ;)
That thought came to me because whenever I try to donate my stuff someone here always goes through it to take stuff out for himself.
Stuff he does not need, just wants more stuff. LOL :D

Last two days I did a lot of very hard physical work in the yard and now my left kidney feels as if somebody punched it hard.
Wednesday I hauled a whole bunch of his yard hoard from all around the property over to another area, closer to the driveway sorting station.
Heavy metal type stuff full of huge old wasp nests, stuff that has just laid where it was dropped decades ago.
Cleared one area enough to rake all the leaves and debris out. Looks real good over there now.
Thursday I raked around the house, garden and a lot of other areas.
But first I had to move a lot of heavy clutter out of my way and pile it up in a different spot.
A lot of stuff is just too heavy for me to move so I did the best I could maneuvering around it.
But it looks so very, very nice now where I worked. :D
All in all, must have filled my garden cart at least 40 times these past two days with leaves and dumped them all in the side yard.
Today I need to go to the credit union, get some money and do some grocery shopping.
Then rest the whole weekend.
Honestly, can't believe I did all that I did. :D

TTYS :)

Good morning!

Diane, I know what that's like wondering if we made the right decision. Just gotta "let it go" - and get busy with something else. It will fade at least somewhat over time. Second-guessing ourselves is how we get where we are. :)

Went to the storage unit yesterday and got a big unwieldy box of doll clothes projects into the new smaller boxes I'd had, labeled them. Am going to work on finishing them to sell so I brought them in the van.

It's difficult to look at the storage unit with everything all cattywampus leaning this way and that, and barely being able to brush against something without a stack falling all over. Or having the "goat paths" if there is a path at all.

Plans to move to another unit need to move forward; I need to get the prices at the place I want to go. Rain is predicted here now starting Sunday and for 3-4 days next week. Well, we need the moisture, and I certainly have no shortage of things I can do here where I'm staying.

I wish I had a workable solution to my ADD issue of needing to see things to remember to deal with them. I spread so much stuff out on account of that "out of sight, out of mind" difficulty. Making lists can help but not entirely. And I'd spend 3/4 of my life making the lists! As it is I probably spend 1/2 my life making lists, LOL.

Good morning!

Diane, I know what that's like wondering if we made the right decision. Just gotta "let it go" - and get busy with something else. It will fade at least somewhat over time. Second-guessing ourselves is how we get where we are. :)

Went to the storage unit yesterday and got a big unwieldy box of doll clothes projects into the new smaller boxes I'd had, labeled them. Am going to work on finishing them to sell so I brought them in the van.

It's difficult to look at the storage unit with everything all cattywampus leaning this way and that, and barely being able to brush against something without a stack falling all over. Or having the "goat paths" if there is a path at all.

Plans to move to another unit need to move forward; I need to get the prices at the place I want to go. Rain is predicted here now starting Sunday and for 3-4 days next week. Well, we need the moisture, and I certainly have no shortage of things I can do here where I'm staying.

I wish I had a workable solution to my ADD issue of needing to see things to remember to deal with them. I spread so much stuff out on account of that "out of sight, out of mind" difficulty. Making lists can help but not entirely. And I'd spend 3/4 of my life making the lists! As it is I probably spend 1/2 my life making lists, LOL.

oops it did not post so did it again, now double post

Hi all
Yesterday helper was here from 10-1pm, we talked about feelings I am having during this process and how difficult it is having her see all my stuff especially now that we are in my personal areas. Then back to the bedroom, got rid of more stuff, discussed changing where bed is and moving other stuff next time she comes, I got up this morning and had to see if she was right. I moved everything and she was right, so cozy now and more empty floor, so strange.
Yesterday we worked on rock room making things more convenient, changed some furniture and cleaned out bathroom so only tumbler stuff is in there. I really thought I had already done it all, she is amazing how she sniffs out all unneeded stuff, very helpful. When she left I went out in yard and dug holes, trying to get rid of an overgrown area. Then a friend dropped by to take all my donations. She is the friend that picked up donations last week. She goes through everything, keeps what she wants, donates rest to humane society thrift store. It is nice to have it gone, can not allow myself to think about it. She is wealthy so if she keeps stuff, it must be good and I want it back. Stop myself as soon as it comes to my mind.
Today I noticed I felt guilty for being unproductive, working on an overgrown area instead of doing something to improve appearance of yard in an obvious way. Wish I would have read your post Tillie, before guilt took over. Sure hope you had a fun day in the yard.

Hi all
Yesterday helper was here from 10-1pm, we talked about feelings I am having during this process and how difficult it is having her see all my stuff especially now that we are in my personal areas. Then back to the bedroom, got rid of more stuff, discussed changing where bed is and moving other stuff next time she comes, I got up this morning and had to see if she was right. I moved everything and she was right, so cozy now and more empty floor, so strange.
Yesterday we worked on rock room making things more convenient, changed some furniture and cleaned out bathroom so only tumbler stuff is in there. I really thought I had already done it all, she is amazing how she sniffs out all unneeded stuff, very helpful. When she left I went out in yard and dug holes, trying to get rid of an overgrown area. Then a friend dropped by to take all my donations. She is the friend that picked up donations last week. She goes through everything, keeps what she wants, donates rest to humane society thrift store. It is nice to have it gone, can not allow myself to think about it. She is wealthy so if she keeps stuff, it must be good and I want it back. Stop myself as soon as it comes to my mind.
Today I noticed I felt guilty for being unproductive, working on an overgrown area instead of doing something to improve appearance of yard in an obvious way. Wish I would have read your post Tillie, before guilt took over. Sure hope you had a fun day in the yard.

Good Morning Everybody :)

Hi CriticalMass :)
Keep your spirits up
Someday you WILL have a place all your own. (((HUGS)))
Keep chipping away at those easier items to decide on.
It is especially hard to make some decisions while still living in transit and not being able to see it all laid out before you.
Hang in there, you have been doing GREAT! (((hugs)))

Well...
His dragging his feet and slow puttering around tactic to get me to give up has not worked.
So, now he is being mean, nasty and getting violent.
This usually has worked to get me to stop in the past, but not this time.
The carport situation is just too dangerous a health hazard for me to just back off.
Really wish I had someone here with me helping to get him to sort it all out.

Today I am going to do some work in my garden area.
At least it's safe there.

TTYL :)

Windows 10 . . . I will not. I'll go Linux first. Or if this laptop dies I could get one of the computers from a place here in town that come with Windows 7 Professional. And that horrid latest version of Office - I go to the public library and sit there cussing at it. It's ugly, with that blank, sterile interface; it doesn't show the font correctly (unless I'm doing something wrong - it just shows a screen font). Explorer won't preview web pages before printing - GRRRRR!

It's a shame because though I have home Internet I still used to like doing certain things at the library, such as printing out webpages because I don't have a laser printer of my own. My old one was too ancient to justify buying new toner for so I gave it to recycling. My roommate has one but it's in her office and I have to wait till she's here to use it; it doesn't have a USB print slot so she has to have her desktop computer on for me to print.

Well, I'm back to trying not to get bummed that I don't have a place of my own. I know, I don't want to get into a pity party. But now that I have a game plan I wish I could execute it in territory that's completely my own. Instead of just doing piecemeal and hoping that I happen to hit on the right amount and right things to keep vs. get rid of for if/when I do get a place again. I like to see the big picture, and I get so bogged down in details. Tillie, you mentioned the hubby stirring the can of paint - I can get like that! I'm better at catching myself now but it's the brain paralysis . . .

But, first things first, getting rid of the obvious junk, papers and crap for instance, or knickknacks that need to be rehomed. I just have to keep the faith that I can do this. Soon the real project will kick into high gear unless winter returns. There are daffodils blooming and temps are suitable for starting to plan for the big push. It's like waiting for D-Day or something. Kinda tense.

HI Roxie :)

"Clink!" :D

Wish I did not update to 10.
Nothing but a big disappointment.
Can't even use the color print here with it.
Lots of lag with my keyboard making posting difficult and a lot of screen freezes too.
Hate windows 10.
And I refuse to talk to that idiot side bar thing that I see is totally useless for any of my needs.

Good Luck getting your computer all sorted out and better functioning.

(((HUGS))) :)

Good Morning Everybody :)

Hi CriticalMass :)
WAY TO GO!!!
The thinking about stuff and your life in general, along with the physical part of sorting out the stuff and organizing your space shows us that you are making such GREAT progress.
Truly decluttering and organizing begins in our thought processes. Then we start getting our emotions about the stuff sorted out.
This is when we are able to start making all the hard decisions about what direction to take in improving our lives to match the mental image we have of what we really want for ourselves.
(((HUGS)))

Hi Diane :)
You have been doing an astounding job!!!
Now I want you to take time off and relax, refresh and reflect.
Take time to get comfortable with all the newness surrounding you in your home.
Enjoy your fascinating lapidary hobby.
Sit in a tree.
Be a little kid again for a while.
But remember that little kids do have to do some chores before they are set free to go play.
Keep the dishes and laundry caught up. Prepare some food to keep you nourished.
Now, get out there and see how dirty you can get having fun! :D

Well...
Not going very fast at all with the carport clean out.
Thinking this weekend I will need to do more than just drag some stuff out to be sorted.
He farts around wasting his time messing with all the stuff and not actually sorting into keep/donate/toss.
I pulled out about 20 rusty old cans of paint that the labels had rotted off of.
This stuff has been in temperatures ranging from -30 degrees to 118 degrees during the last two decades.
It is no good, paint can not freeze and still be any good.
He wasted one whole day sitting there stirring it. :(
Soon his excuse not to do this project will be that it is too hot outside.
Think I need to turn up the heat on him now.
Wish he cared how depressed and sad all this has been making me all these years.
OK, my pity party is over.
Time to put on my big girl panties now and carry on.

TTYS :)

Hi Tat, Tillie, CM and all on this board. Tillie, I hear you, on the don't wanna do it. This morning I basically finished bedroom, washed some of shelves etc, noticed walls need to be cleaned, not today. Still have not done paperwork, helper is coming at 10 am tomorrow so either have to do it or toss it by then. Or bury it in yard. Tillie it wasn't that long ago that bedroom was so bad could not get to closet. Last year I cleaned it and floor of clothes, but it accumulated when I gave up several months ago. This is the best it has been in many years, got rid of most of excess. Removed one wood chest of drawers and 3 plastic chests or drawers. Strange seeing bare wall and no piles on remaining furniture. 2 small bins of junk are still in living room to be sorted, then it will be complete I think. Problem is, while cleaning one room junk seems to look for aborting area and ends up in living room and makes me feel bad. Told helper I am not willing to start on last room until I finish small piles and paperwork, do not want more junk in here. I would like one week of just maintenance because I am exhausted from the emotional and physical work of moving furniture etc., and hauling all the junk and donations out, just tired and need a break. Did get out in yard for a few hours, in spite of 40+mph with gusts. Cleaned up some dead stuff and did a little rock hounding. This week I would like to start a new batch in rock tumblers, I love the finished rocks, so beautiful. Once I get rid of the hoard I will feel like the luckiest old lady, plenty of time to rock hound and tumble. My reward will be a canopy on pickup and then can sleep in back on two day rock hounding outings.

Happy Leap Year Day, everyone! If you haven't seen the adorable Google bunny graphic for today you really should. It's so cute.

Let's see . . . much to comment on . . .

Diane, you are smokin'! :D Keep going, you're an inspiration to us all!

"just because you may someday find a use for something doesn't mean you need it." --Tatoulia, you speak the truth! I'm one of those creative crafty sorts for whom this is a definite pitfall. I've gotten so much into seeing alternative uses for things that sometimes I see them before I see the ordinary conventional uses!

I don't want to give this creative spark up completely, but I do need to form a new mental habit. From now on, I'm submitting Creative Brain Lobe's sparkly inspirations to the sober analysis and discretion of the Sensible Anti-Hoarding Lobe Committee. The Committee will acknowledge Creative's suggestions and promise to get back to her, advising patience due to the backlog of ideas that have already been submitted. It could take months or years for the Sensible Committee to hand down a ruling for or against each idea, but we're not gonna tell Creative Lobe that, it'll just make her antsy. ;) LOL!

Now as to progress in the actual world outside of my skull - did I already mention that a couple weeks ago I got two boxes and one grocery bag of books to the DAV? I might have already reported on this so if I did, sorry for the repeat. It felt very good to get rid of those books; they were ones I'd bought when on sprees at book sales but that recently I thought "I'm not really as into those as I thought I'd be." And I have other books I want to read way more anyhow. So Bye-Bye Books, have a nice life with somebody else.

This week I have to prepare some paperwork to take to a doctor appointment on Friday. It may be done as early as today or it may take a little longer. Once it's done, I need to focus on decluttering my bedroom because my roommate will have the termite man come to inspect sometime in March. After those two big pushes, I'll have time to go out to the storage unit and pull out more stuff to part with provided this spring weather holds.

Hi Everybody :)

Hi Diane :)
Thank you.
I find it easier to take care of the bigger stuff than those little piles of stuff that always seem to accumulate. lol :)
WTG! for dishes & sorting and playing outside! :D
So FANTASTIC! to hear you are finally finished sorting out the clothes.
I remember back when you could not even get to the closet to put stuff away because there were too many clothes.
(((HUGS)))

Hi Tatoulia :)
(((HUGS)))
Sorry to hear about the difficulties you have trying to keep your Mom in a safe environment.
Way To Go! for everything you have been doing. (((hugs))) :)

Monday morning, again...
I have a bad case of the "I don't wannas".
Don't wanna clean house.
Don't wanna do nothin.
It's like "why bother?"
Maybe I should get out and sit in the sunshine today.

happy music

Worked on mom's place yesterday. Just as I arrived, the firefighters were leaving--she'd fallen and they came to pick her up. I managed to get two bags of garbage together and a half a bag of donations. She has enough yarn to last several lifetimes. She won't let me deal with any of it. A year ago we had the professional organizers in but since them she's pulled so much stuff out of the closets. There are bins and bags of yarn everywhere. I did consolidate two boxes of papers and books into one and made a box of books to be donated but there's just too much stuff and it's a struggle. I kept telling her what I tell myself, just because you may someday find a use for something doesn't mean you need it.

So difficult. There's stuff everywhere. It had been reasonable. She hasn't added anything new, she's just been pulling out old stuff.

I hate seeing her live that way. So I will chip. away and try to get her to live a little better. Now I need to apply my advice on myself. Suddenly not so easy. ;)