Minimum of 5!!

One for beside the bed that can move around and sometimes get lost.

A small one that is ALWAYS or ALWAYS IMMEDIATELY RETURNED to a specific location which you can walk to in the dark and reach to with your hand in the dark. This will let you find other flashlights, bulbs and batteries if the power goes out.

A smaller one- like single AA or AAA or LED penlight that you can grab for a toiletry kit if you need to travel.

A 6V lantern for the basement.

A 6V lantern for the garage.

6V lanterns for each vehicle are also nice-but cold weather tends to have gotten the batteries when you need them.

A small box of spare batteries for the flashlights you use. (The spare 6V battery has to go somewhere else.)

Spare light bulbs. Walmart has them. They have come out with an LED bulb for the 6V lanterns. More expensive but nice.

When you take your 6V lantern up to the garage attic to investigate your 20 year old hoard of insulation, leave it on while you go back down to get a mask and tools and then go into "Scooter Mode", you may come back a day later to find the lantern itself, rather than just the bulb, burned out with a nice electrical smell. (I don't know if that's a fire hazard.) We won't talk about how I know that. :)

A hoarder I know says you can never have too many plastic bags. I wouldn't go quite that far with flashlights, but .... :)

Well it is already 11am, and have only done a couple of things. Today I will pay bills, finish cleaning off a pile of papers. Get papers ready for tax appt. on Friday. This morning I washed some old wool stuff in hot water to shrink it for crafts, dried and hanging to finish drying. Want to put all that away when dry and clean washer, wool really messed it up. I usually put wool in pillow cases, today I did not,so wool was free to shed in washer, well today I am paying the consequences of taking a shortcut. When I filled the washer with boiling water, spilled some on floor and wiping it up, saw how dirty floor is by door, and want to put it on my to do list, but don't want to do it.
So here goes: clean entire kitchen floor today, but it is so dirty, do it anyway.
Jess good to hear you, Tillie told me to leave more emotional items like purses, until later, and do more important things like kitchen and living areas.
Roxie, good you got supplies, and plan to get garbage out in time.
Diane so good to hear what you are grateful every day.
Tillie you handle your challenges with such grace. Would it be possible to coddle steven and make a list of his food to "help" him remember since you want to help him since brain problems. He could possibly fall for it, and meet your needs for only fresh food, without all the excess. Just a strategy to consider, you know if it would work or not.
clean kitchen floor
papers for taxes
clean washing machine
file or toss pile of papers
pay bills
afraid of failing, so don't usually post lists, really want to change so I am doing what is suggested, thanks to all of you and especially
tillie

Diane,
curious, garage roof, is the underneath problem rafters or underlayment?

Good morning :)

Storm blowing in today. Not a good day to play outside.
The cats will be pouting. :(
Need to do a bit of cleaning up inside today.
I don't want to but I will do it just to get it over & done with. :P
Today is trash pick up day and the stuff is all out at the road.
In order to keep my Hoarder from buying more food since he already has the fridge/freezer stuffed with his food, I have not been going to the grocery store to buy my food.
Only fresh food I have left is two grapefruit and one over ripe banana.
Planning to force him to handle and look at all his food tonight so he might remember that he doesn't need to buy any more when I have him drive me to the grocery store.
When at the store he always forgets what he already has and feels that he needs to buy a lot, as if soon there will be no more food in the store.
If the stores run out of food we have bigger problems than not having enough crackers in the house.

So Wonderful reading all your posts.
WAY TO GO!!! for ALL you have accomplished and for the hard thinking and decision making you all have been doing. :D

LOL I really thought about making some more soup. It's been battle enough to get him to drink water and eat some crackers. Hope he gets over this quickly, poor guy.

I'll be honest, I didn't go through my purses last night. Today instead of getting tripped up on that I'm trying to attend to more pressing tasks, like cleaning up the kitchen. I started a load of dishes and I've got a couple things to wash that can't go in the dishwasher.

Day Seven - I'd like to finish up in the kitchen, organize the small kitchen closet, and take the vacuum for a spin.

For whatever reason I don't want to do the purses. I'll try to get back to them soon. I think what may be more important is not letting everything else pile up until that one task is finished. I'll come back to it.

Dove will eat cracked corn with Quail.

Sick Husband,

Probably didn't want to ask, but wants more home made chicken soup!

Day Six. Go to work, take care of sick husband, go through purses and only keep what I use and what is in good condition.

Dianne you are so kind, love reading how you think, hopefully I can learn to be kinder through observing your thinking.
Last night when I drove home, it was so foggy, visibility questionable, woke up to thick frozen fog, was to burn off by noon, well it is 2:30 and still frozen fog, it is up to 32 degrees so maybe will burn off, with wind chill it feels like 23, so only went out for a minute. Getting up at 5am instead of 7am, wasn't the brightest idea, but really wanted to get started on kitchen, but now pooped. Played with glue gun for over an hour, now resting, listening to music and realized it is freezing in here so now fire is going. Looked online at small stick built houses, was frustrated at all permits this city requires. My boss is really encouraging me to replace this old trailer so have a safer place to live and less maintenance. Well until I get rid of my hoard totally, I can't even think about the process without getting anxious and stomach upset, which is why I am laying down resting right now. I find myself wanting to please her rather than looking at what is best for me at this stage in recovery. I feel so much better after writing this, once again I am reminded to do what is best and least stressful for me, while I finish getting rid of hoard. It would be great to have a clean small new house, but as long as I have too much stuff, it would be a mess. Very difficult to tell her it is too soon. She really wants my life to be great, but as you know, until the hoard is gone and behaviors are changed, we will recreate a mess. Until I am free of my thrift store addiction, for more months, I would be fearful of messing place up. There is some comfort in this old trailer, have lived here for years, and has a lot of cute areas, that I would miss, like the wood stove with brick wall and pedestal, which were nicely done, the opposite wall is nice old barn wood. Guess I love the unique artistic things in here, and feel I can enjoy it for a few more years. The garage roof is the urgent need. Online it said you need a building permit if you remove old shingles and put new underlayment on, if you just add another layer of roofing, do not need permit, if no more than 3 layers of roofing. I checked and there are only 2 layers on it now, so I have been scheming ways I can replace the rotten wood underneath some areas and just top off the two layers. Permits here are one thing, but you have to pay inspectors by the hour when they visit and they always come up with reasons you have to add support to areas, and this poor old garage would need all new support. I really wanted to hire someone to do it, but reading online, found that a licensed roofer has to report unsound supports, so guess I will be the roofer in residence. Looking at all that I wrote, I say, who cares, hahahah, I care, and am happy I am getting clarity on the steps to take to make areas liveable. I am behind on returning phone calls, will make at least one as soon as I sign off here.
Ok this is the last chapter of my daily saga

This site is so great to learn grown up skills!!! Many of us have stunted our growth with the hoard and procrastination. It is so great to hear problem solving techniques. When I don't like something or someone, my tendency is to leave situation, but to hang in here knowing I need this site to become free of hoarding, makes me open to learning some basic people skills. Instead of acting like a 10 year old and throwing a fit, and leaving, and saying it isn't worth trying anymore, no one else is trying, it is really time try on some big girl panties, and focus on steps I need to take to complete my journey to get rid of junk and connect with people in a loving way. If people just want to make excuses why they can't, it has to be ok, and not waste my time on them, focus on my progress and those on here that really want to take responsibility for their crap and not blame others.
Today I have already spent 3 hours cleaning kitchen, dishes, stove, made a pot of soup and now taking a break. I am so happy I have the desire to clean back. Did not want to do dishes past several days, did a little then quit, today I did not want to, started and did not quit until all were done. Took dishes out of refrigerator with bits of food, tossed food, washed dishes. There were cups on deck, in several rooms, all clean now. Such a relief to have them done and soup on stove.
Roxie, so insightful
Tillie, great fun imagining your adventure.
Dianne, you are doing great hanging in.
Karl, thank goodness you are starting to look
Jess, you inspire me, thanks
A day of cleaning and take time to return calls from friends. Thank you all for continuing, even when you don't want to.

Good morning :)

Wonderful to hear from all of you. :D

WAY TO GO!!! for all you have accomplished!!! :D

Today I need to do some cleaning here since I took yesterday off.
Last night I lost my white girl kitty again in the carport.
She was out there till 10:30 and was not very white when I got her back inside.
She is just fine and happy, silly girl. :)

Off to look for adventure in the day. Hope you have fun adventures today too. :)

Since this is an interactive help website where you can ask questions and get answers and support,
everyone should feel free to to post their thoughts and suggestions.
The person recieving the suggestions is also free to consider the help offered or reject it.
Since we don't know if people want suggestions or if they just want to talk or if what we suggest would even be possible not fully knowing their situations
it is up to them to politely explain more so that we can better understand.
When Cory makes a suggestion for me to try something, I always give it a try.
I may have to tweek it a little to fit my situation, but I do not abandon it, and putting all the suggestions together has made a difference here.

The greatest thing about this site is that we can come here, post out hearts out and receive emotional support.
Just sharing with others who understand our struggles helps lift the weight and gives me hope.

Lump is not cancer, so I am relieved and appreciate this site that I can talk about scarey things and get support. A huge thanks to Tillie for all of the support and direction I get.
Tomorrow I plan to get back to maintenance. It was great reading your post, about not feeling like doing it and doing it anyway. Most of what I have accomplished, I did not feel like doing and did it anyway.
I have given myself some down time during these months of stress, and today I feel like that excuse is gone and it is time to make my life better, believe me I am grateful my grief over mollys death is tolerable now, and I have running water again, and no leaks, and that for now I can focus on getting things organized and paired down, and not focus on emergency situations. This week there will be no thrift store shopping, since that is my addiction that makes my life miserable. No matter how cheap, it is not a bargain if it clutters my life.

I did accomplish my daily task of cleaning the bathrooms. It was sort of like going to the gym. I didn't feel like doing it, I almost didn't do it, I sucked it up and got it over with and then I felt really good :D

ooooops, it posted twice, not sure why, Dianne, sorry you are pooped today, good day to lay low and enjoy animals? You do so much every day.
Tillie, so happy you are taking the day off from the board and playing with your new gems.
Hope all of you get the most out of your day.
Today I worked in yard, took shower, washed hair, one load of laundry, hung, one more drainer of dishes, back to finish dishes now, then to Bend to mammogram.

Roxie, thanks for your post, warmed my soul. I woke up frustrated with myself and my bad behavior in chat last night. I seem to interpret what people saying, as things that they want help solving. I work hard at solving their problems then get pissed when they make an excuse for every suggestions. A gal that used to be on here did that too, after I spent hours thinking of ways to solve her problems, I finally said, you may just have to make the best of ;your situation since it sounds like you don't really want to change. I admit I am codependent and would much rather solve other peoples problems than dealing with mine. Today I finally realized people may just want to talk and don't want to change, and it is none of my business. If someone continues to procrastinate and I suggest they can get more help from procrastinators anonymous than this site, and they don't want to change, I must just let it go. That is why I wanted timed chat, 15 minutes, because I know they just want to talk about it and not change, but then when they take time after chat to rehash the same stuff I can sign off rather than get pissed. I am sorry I did not realize this sooner and plan to just observe this coming Sunday and not offer suggestions at all. I realize I am like a dog with a good bone, do not want to let go until a person sees it through my eyes, even when they are comfortable in misery. I know that feeling and need to work on my own crap, not theirs. Please forgive me. I will continue to listen intently what ever is on the chatters mind, will not offer suggestions.

Roxie, thanks for your post, warmed my soul. I woke up frustrated with myself and my bad behavior in chat last night. I seem to interpret what people saying, as things that they want help solving. I work hard at solving their problems then get pissed when they make an excuse for every suggestions. A gal that used to be on here did that too, after I spent hours thinking of ways to solve her problems, I finally said, you may just have to make the best of ;your situation since it sounds like you don't really want to change. I admit I am codependent and would much rather solve other peoples problems than dealing with mine. Today I finally realized people may just want to talk and don't want to change, and it is none of my business. If someone continues to procrastinate and I suggest they can get more help from procrastinators anonymous than this site, and they don't want to change, I must just let it go. That is why I wanted timed chat, 15 minutes, because I know they just want to talk about it and not change, but then when they take time after chat to rehash the same stuff I can sign off rather than get pissed. I am sorry I did not realize this sooner and plan to just observe this coming Sunday and not offer suggestions at all. I realize I am like a dog with a good bone, do not want to let go until a person sees it through my eyes, even when they are comfortable in misery. I know that feeling and need to work on my own crap, not theirs. Please forgive me. I will continue to listen intently what ever is on the chatters mind, will not offer suggestions.

Lots of hugs for Dave, Mrs. Dave, Tillie and Dianne. And of course everyone else reading. I'm thinking of you all today as I struggle to get moving.

I have a lot that I could work on. I tend to get very caught up in what to do first. My strategy for dealing with it is to come here and type and it will come to me...

So I guess the priority is cleaning the two bathrooms. I've been working a great deal on decluttering and I think I should take today to focus on general cleaning. After that I'm going to go through the cabinets in both to see if there are any toiletries that can be tossed out.

Feeling incredibly axious today. Trying to remind myself that crawling back into bed might help me avoid some bad feelings but it will bring on new ones, like guilt for getting nothing done. Not having nice clean bathrooms. Losing my streak of accomplishing my daily tasks. Breathe and focus!

Good morning everybody :D

So wonderful to read all your postings.

Yesterday after I vented my little hissy fit
I went outside and drug over two large empty trash cans to the carport area.
Grabbed up everything that I saw that was garbage/trash and filled the two cans. Took less than ten minutes.
He heard me out there and got off his computer, checked out what I had tossed and only removed a few things.
Then he got busy and filled a third trash can with garbage and also topped off the two cans I had filled.
He also filled 1/2 the truck with stuff he wants to donate and some other stuff to sell at the pawn shop.
While he was doing that I fired up two burn barrels and started burning some old tree branches and a lot of his cardboard boxes that had spent the winter outside and could no longer be good for anything.
He also handed me some other stuff for me to burn for him.
This did not accomplish a lot but at least it was some progress in the right direction.
Mostly, he saw how serious I am about him doing something about cleaning up around here.
I have no hope that he will continue on his own and I know it's up to him to decide what to keep or toss but I just had to get him moving.
He also dug out all that food he had stuffed into the fridge and tossed a lot since it had rotted sitting in there for all these weeks.

Today I am happy! :D
Taking the day off and going to play.
Have a GREAT fresh new week everyone. :D

Just a quick update for Day Four.

I was out of the house most of the day with work and such so I simply made my goal to maintain. I hung up my towels right after using them, put all of my worn clothing immediately in the hamper, put the cash I made right in the tips envelope.

Off tomorrow so I'll have plenty of time to get things done.

Mrs Dave was crying yesterday because of a broken promise.

Sorry about all your stress.

Good morning

Spent hours outside yesterday with my cats chasing a butterfly.
They never caught it. :D
There is a small rectangle of yard just out front of the house that I have claimed and made a "No Clutter Zone".
I have lots of flowers and bushes and a little lawn and some nice trees planted there.
My pure white blue eyed girl cat went into the carport area and was lost in all the clutter for over an hour. :(
That area is so filthy and dangerous and I had to try to get around in there to try to shoo her out. :(
I hate it.
There is no reason to live this way.
It makes me cry.

OK...
my pity party is over, thank you for listening.

Great reading all of the insightful posts, very happy to see the growth you are finding in yourselves. Today I finished patching garage roof, really need to replace it as soon as warms up here. I bagged up all the scraps, and some that flew off roof and put in garbage. Felt good to finish cleaning up, instead of leaving junk to do tomorrow. Sort of like cutting off tags and throwing them and package away. Filled up all fire wood areas on deck so am set for several days. Made a top for the top of garage cabinets, so I can now put stuff in them, and start organizing stuff I use. I have to label cabinets so I can find stuff I need.
First thing this morning I made a to do list and did only a couple of things on list, was helpful reading conversation about "to do" list, it helped me today. I was able to ask what is most important to do today, and get garage roof done. Tomorrow I want to be brave enough to post my to do list on here. Thanks Roxie, I think weight loss is from stress, and I am at perfect weight now, although I was happy with heavier weight, do not notice any difference other than clothes loose.

Accordian folder for coupons and gift cards.

Try to be sure you are enough of a couponer that you will use the folder and the coupons. (and don't just assume because you have done a lot of couponing in the past and saved a lot of money in the past, that you will still do that now. Your lifestyle, living habits AND grocery store coupon policies may have changed.)

Just like I don't get any tax benefit from donations and find it freeing to NOT have to list and evaluate my donations, I have found that couponing is a giant waste of time for me. I spend lots and lots (and maybe lots) of time finding coupons, adding them to a caddy, periodically going through the caddy and cleaning out expired coupons for a very small savings benefit. The return (for me) is not worth the effort and being chained to another "necessary process" in the cycles of daily activities.

I'm not saying don't coupon if it benefits you. I am saying "don't automatically apply hoarding behaviors and habits by adding a coupon process that adds to your guilt and clutter if it doesn't really have a benefit for you." Each one of us could have different personal answers and benefits to bring to that question.

I have recently done a bit of cleaning and I think I found most of my gift cards. There is a very small quantity and I just put them in a junk mail return envelope (scratching out the address so I don't accidentally mail it) and put them in an easily accessible place.

Unfortuneatly I have not brought hoarding cleanup to the coupon situation by getting rid of all but one of the coupon caddies I have and just throwing away most of the no expiration date coupons in them. I get in the mail each month about a half dozen coupons I would/could use if I could find them and those would be good in one coupon caddy I keep. I am engaging in classical hoarding behavior saving the no expiration date coupons.

Coins,

I have lots and lots and lots of loose coins. I have not wanted to do this with old stockpiles of coins yet, but I am processing current pocket change monthly.

The change accumulates in a little tray that I keep pocket things in. Once a month I have some banking activities that I need to do. One of the places I go has a change sorter that is free for customers of the institution to use. I take the current month accumulation of unused change, put it in an empty plastic peanut butter jar, and take it with me, run it through the sorter and get the money back in bills which I can use over the current month. Sometimes I will also take in ones and fives to start over the current month with twenties. This has worked very well for me to prevent current change and small bills adding to the old accumulations.

If you don't have access to a free change sorter (don't pay to use the one in the grocery store)ask your bank. I think many banks will do this at no charge for their customers in "the back room". I saw a man with 3 different piggy banks in one of my banks a few weeks ago. I assume he was cashing in his kids savings for them.

I just put the peanut butter jar in a cloth grocery bag along with the banking paperwork I need to take care of during the day.

Dianne - I like the idea of a Daily Project too. It has really been helping me tackle things without getting bogged down by the big picture.

diane - ((hugs)) I'm really proud of you for taking care of yourself. It's not easy for me to take those steps but it's oh so important. Good job!

Roxie - I seem to find myself always with a pile of coins! My purse is a trap for them. I find them everywhere! I'll have to make it a project soon to finally get them all in the same place and take them to the bank. Thank you for bringing it up,

Karl - I'm very impressed by your biking! Seems like great excercise and useful too. Great job submitting your application, especially since they weren't at the office as expected. A hitch in the plan tends to throw me off. This is a good reminder to stay calm and adapt to different circumstances.

Tillie - Glad to see you have some time to go out and play! :) Enjoy!

Day three!

A package arrived with the new underwear I ordered. I immediately opened it, cut off all the tags, put them in the hamper and discared the tags, plastic, and boxes. If I don't do things immediately I don't really do them. I'm getting to know myself.

My other plans for the day are mostly errands. I am meeting a friend and her boyfriend for dinner this evening about 45 minutes from home. While I'm out that way I'm going to take my wedding rings to the jeweler for an inspection and cleaning. I'm supposed to do that every six months and have failed in that department. They have to check the rings to make sure the warranty is still good, since I've missed my service time frame.

Also need to swing by a house my husband and I are interested in to see if the neighborhood looks as good as the online listing.

My chore before I go is to unload the dishwasher and put my breakfast dishes in after.

Have a great day everyone!

Good morning :)

Hi Diane :)
I'm very glad you are getting things checked up on.
You have been through heck this winter and have done so much hard physical work along with all the stress you are under.
Taking it easy is not wasting time. We all need our down time and sorting out small items is the same as relaxing with a crossword puzzle. :D
(((HUGS)))

Hi Roxie :)
I have not been able to get him to agree to getting rid of all the old vehicles, yet.
But I am still working on it. :D

Hi Karl :)
WAY TO GO! getting things done. :D
I knew about online chats but never saw a "pop up" inviting me to one before.

Hi Everybody else! :D

Have no real plans for today.
Will probably go outside again and play. :)