Today I have set a goal to tackle paper sorting. To make it less frustrating I'm going to set up a small table in the living room and bring only a few things to it at a time. Maybe put on some music or something as well.

The backstory of all this is that I had a hurried move, you may recall, back in April/May to my friend's house where I'm now renting a room and use of common spaces. As much as I hated it, there was no time to sort and put papers away neatly. And my bedroom is pretty small. So already I have a mess. There are also items like boxes of art supplies and miscellaneous. But today I would just like to feel I've tamed some of the papers, and then we'll see what the goal is for tomorrow.

Hi :)
OK, I have the cleaning stuff all sitting on the counter.
Have the vacuum, broom and rags out.
Right now I am drinking my tea but at 8:00am, 10 minutes from now, I will begin.
Sweep floors & porches.
Clean bathroom, sink, tub & toilet.
Wipe off stuff like light switches, door knobs, window sills and so on...
Wash floors, kitchen & bathroom.
Vacuum carpet.
Dust.
Days like today make me so very grateful that this house is so small.
Grateful there isn't much floor to wash or carpet to vacuum.
Grateful that there isn't much furniture in here to dust.

Hello :)

Hi Roxie :)
Afternoon ice tea "clink!"
To me, it is a very different and even magical world outside in the wee hours. :D
What a fun bunch of people you are living around there. Parading and fireworks too!
Good luck and best wishes that this box of paperwork goes smoothly and easily for you. (((hugs)))

Hi Oodles :)
Waving pom-poms and cheering you on with your clearing project! GO OODLES!!! RaRaRa ;D

Been busy today...
Lit the burn barrel, went to neighbor's house & watered houseplants.
Came home and washed dishes, went to WallyWorld to get kitty litter and a few other items.
Washed litter boxes and filled with litter.
Played with a baby Robin that was hopping around and practicing his flying.
He did pretty good but still needs to practice getting up higher and he needs to learn not to be so brave and trusting. A little fear can be a good thing every now & then.
Did a bunch of other boring stuff too but it was stuff that needed doing and I am happy it's all done now.
Made BBQ beef for sandwiches too! yum. :)
Thinking about doing a general house cleaning tomorrow but I really do not want to do it so please everybody, talk me out of cleaning the house tomorrow! ;D

TTYL :)

Coffee clinks (I like that & back at ya "clink") Thank you for the support. I spent all day yesterday weed wacking. Inside today, discovering yard work is easier than house work. Anxiety face (my term for it) has started & multiple breaks. Anxiety face is when you go to dive into housework & your face turns numb. I cannot let myself not do it. Area needs to be cleared by Thursday. Go Ooodles - Go Oodles LOL Thanks for listening so nice to be able to write it here it helps. Also hope all have a very productive day. Go friends! Go friends!

Hi Oodles :)
Thank you.
Good luck with the yard work!
Hope the sub flooring project goes well. (((hugs)))

Taking today slow and easy.
Some dishes to wash, bathroom needs some tidying/wiping.
Floors are a mess from all the wet sand that keeps getting tracked in.
Found a few new listings on Netflix to watch.
Really like the "Ted Talks", can listen to them while I am doing something else.

Good Morning everybody.

Tillie sorry about the storm damage glad bldgs are not damaged. I am doing yard work today. It is hot will see how far I get. Brother is coming this week for some sub-floor replacement. Really nervous about that.

All morning I have been outside cleaning up after that storm.
Moved broken branches and raked up lots of stuff.
Swept porches and walkways.
Not only at my house but also at the house I am watching.
Fortunately, there was no damage to either building. :)

Hi CriticalMass :)
Thanks! :D
Those cheeseburger pictures are always so cute and bring smiles.
And yes, they did a LOT of that. :D

Hi Roxie :)
WAY TO GO!!!!
You did GREAT! working on the paperwork! :D
I am always grateful for tea, blame that on my Canadian Grandparents. ;)

The most wonderful summer storm just blew through here.
Raging winds, lightning & thunder, hail, a real gully washer for sure.
Still raining with some thunder but I got the cats all calmed down.
So refreshing! :D

Very cute, both the image of the party spot in Tillie's yard plus the Cheezburger site.

I actually paid bills yesterday and for the checks I wrote, bro took them to the mailbox for me. I sorted other mail and tossed a lot of paper into a paper bag for later recycling. Lots more to do but I feel better just tackling that much.

Trying again . . . can't seem to make the picture appear but here's the link:

http://cheezburger.com/8024959488#.VZ6cT0u8p48.link

For Tillie and the kitties ;) Hope the link works...

Good Morning Everybody :)

Soon as this load of laundry is hung out on the clothes line the cats and I are planning to sit out in the garden and do some weeding since it is a cooler day today. :)
The cats don't pull weeds, they just give me WTGs as they lay there and watch me, then they start playing tag with each other.
The garden is so overgrown with catnip it's a real party spot for them. :)

I forgot to add. Do a google search for "(fill in state name) medical bill help" It can lead you to all kinds of resources, especially those over 55 and those over 62. Hope it helps whoever needs the information.

I did the search for Nevada and it seems there is one or more resource for helping folks deal with insurance companies. Don't give up.

I had a big problem with AT&T billing me for months after we disconnected our service and paid the bill in full. They were going the route of collection agency. My son wrote and documented everything and sent it to the Arkansas Attorney General's office. Well, THEY dealt with it promptly and the issue is resolved. :)

((CM, Tat, Jess, Tillie and YOU)))

No sleep last night so I'm zombie-like today. I swear all those papers have got it out for us. lol I too am procrastinating, and not paying bills is not a good look. Today I will at least deal with one of them. Maybe that will loosen the paper jam.

Coffee clinks.

Thank you Tatoulia (((hugs)))

Thank you CriticalMass (((hugs)))

Wow, Tillie, my heart goes out to you. It does seem to be a common thread that we are burdened with so many things and that and the hoarding issue - is it the chicken or the egg, one wonders. Anyhow, I hope things turn around for you. I can't believe how stingy insurance can be about things that are obviously necessary. What do they expect a person to do, go through surgery without anesthesia?

Tillie I am so sad to read your post. And do not apologize! This is a place for all of us to vent, share our fears, etc. you are a rock, to be sure, but you need support right now.

This news is very, very upsetting. I will send warm thoughts and prayers your way. I am so so sorry. I am here.

Hi Tatoulia :)
Way To Go!!! for the clean tub! :D
It does feel good to do something, anything, when stuck. And now you have a clean tub to enjoy. :)
Is it possible to move those papers onto something else and get rid of the coffee table?
Maybe it is the table that is hindering you. ?

Twinkles (the cat) had his teeth extracted and did very well after surgery, Thank You. :)
He needs to go back to the Vet for other health issues and Marty needs a check up too but finances prohibit it right now.
We are dealing with a hospital acquired infection from the artery surgery and the insurance is denying a lot of the procedures, like anesthesia during surgery and other things so bill collectors are after him.
In just a few weeks he will lose his job due to time away and also his work covered insurance.
We have explored all options and find we are in dire financial trouble and are worried about further care in treating his health issues.
Cobra would cost him 600.00 a month which will be too much without any income.
Without his medicines he will not live long.
My own health is bad and getting worse from the stress of everything and I could not afford the Obamacare, so I am still uninsured.
Living where we do, job opportunities are very scarce and mostly manual labor.
Our house cost only 50K so it is paid for but utilities and food costs will still be hard to meet.
There is a food bank where we can get a basket every week, when it comes to that.
I have the funds set aside to have the cats humanely euthanized, if it comes to that. I will not allow them to suffer and I fear they are to feral for anyone to want to adopt.
Neither of us has any family any more and most all my friends have died, rather recently of cancers.

Sorry, I know, TLDR....
I try to keep my posts here short and positive but sometimes I just need to let it all out.

Hello everyone! And thank you for your encouragement. Ah, baby bunnies. So cute! Tillie I seem to remember that Scooter or Marty or someone had some surgery--how is the kitty now?

Jess, I hear you on the papers. If I could deal with the papers I vowed to take care of, I could get rid of my old coffee table. It is really messing up the living room.

I did something strange last night. I cleaned my tub. I just stood up, trying to avoid the coffee table papers, and it cleaned the tub. What a pleasure this AM. So as long as I'm doing something, I feel better.

Hot and humid weather hitting us here in the East. Very unpleasant for me. I don't know how you do it, Tillie.

Much love to LR and Bitsy and Roxie and Diane. Hope I didn't leave anyone out--I need you all!

WAY TO GO!!!! Jess! :D
Fantastic attitude too. (((hugs)))
Wishing you GOOD LUCK finding a job you enjoy and has nice coworkers.

Today I took care of the neighbor's house...
Cleaned & refilled humming bird feeders, watered some house plants, sorted the mail and generally made sure the house is alright.
Came back home & washed dishes and generally straightened and dusted and wiped off things.
Cleaned the bathroom but soon it will need more cleaning like the light fixture, exhaust fan cover and shower curtain.
Later, when it is less hot out I need to water the trees and mountain laurels.
Sure do wish it would rain. :D

Happy birthday Bitsy! :)

It's kind of cool to read about all these fearless bat and snake wranglers we have here! I'll stick to my bees though, thank you hehe

Happy to see so many making progress! Every step counts. I am inspired by you guys to make sure I at least begin working on my paper sorting project tonight. I have to laugh at myself because I have been so productive the last few days doing anything and everything before getting around to these papers. While I'm happy I've been getting things done I know I need to face this thing!

Once I start it won't seem so bad. Once I start it won't seem so bad. Once I start it won't seem so bad. *deep breath*

Oh also, I'm a resume machine these days! I've applied to tons of places and am starting to feel pretty good about it. It used to give me anxiety and dread to even think about opening that word document but now I'm staying positive and going for it :)

Good morning everybody :)

Yesterday there was a 4 foot long gopher snake in the pump house keeping me from turning on the hose to water the flowers.
They get in there from under the house where they live and hibernate.
The clutter all around the property causes a large mouse population and the snakes are here because of all the food.
There is now also corn snakes and even black racers.
Saw a baby black racer on the "goat path" in the garage.
The snakes are actually a blessing. There is hantavirus in this area, they eat the deer mice that carry hantavirus.
The desert pack rats living here are vegans so they don't eat the snakes and the adult rats are too big for all but the largest snakes to eat.
Rattlesnakes don't like to enter areas with another type of snake population already established.
But honestly, it gets on my nerves, never knowing when or where there will be a snake that I could have accidently stepped on.

On the other hand, there are cotton tail rabbits who nest in the clutter too and there's almost nothing cuter than a tiny baby bunny. :)

Thanks for your encouragement, Tillie and Tatoulia. Tatoulia, congrats on opening the door to the D.C. !!! (And for the coat donation, too.)

WAY TO GO!!! LR2014 :D

Roxie, did you go for that ride? :D

Hi Tatoulia :)
Fantastic! job donating a coat! :D

LR I thought of you on Friday. I still haven't finished The Dreaded Closet (from a year ago) but I did open the door, take out a coat and donate it on Friday. Unbelievable. 1. I still haven't cleaned it and 2. I actually opens the door to it.


Congratulations on the vehicle progress! And hello to everyone and their pets!

Made some good progress today on my vehicle clean-out project, finally. Yea!

I'm still very far behind in reading posts, but I did see that I missed bitsy's birthday.

Happy belated birthday, bitsy!!!!!!!!

Happy 4th. of July! :)

happy birthday dear Bitsy!!!

Roxie
Thanks for posting . I'm always glad to see your posts because you are dealing with some of the same medical that I am now. And dealing with Medicare HMO is so confusing and scary. I had to have a bunch of tests, ultrasound, and CT scan.am now having to see a vascular surgeon and getting another medication. I am anxiously waiting verification of what HMO pays on CT scan.

And I am so excited for you guys getting a bat box. So few people appreciate bats, bees, garden spiders, garter snakes, earth worms, etc.

Well, today I am 71 years old. Another year has flown by. Still struggling with my hoards. Still watching my hard saved money dis-appear. The best gift for my birthday was the sight of a pair of large dark brown and blue butterflies flitting around the yard.

Have to fix my medicine holders for next week, (I don't know why I do this on Thursday), and then sort through the mail.

Hi to everybody else. Keep up your efforts.

Hi Roxie :)
"clink!"

Bats, I love bats!
This time of year, periodically, a large colony will fly through here at twilight.
I know they are here when all the Robins and other birds roosting in the trees start yelling.
I go outside and stand in the yard with my arms outstretched to the sky and enjoy being surrounded by all of them flying all around me, but they never touch me.
This colony has hundreds, maybe thousands of tiny red furred bats.
After they fly through there are thousands fewer flying insects.
They sleep in old barns, caves and any undisturbed old roof/eaves.
The local agriculture office has free pamphlets on how to build bat houses and other ways to encourage bats to visit your yard.

:D

Good Morning Everybody :)

Hi Critical Mass :)
Love reading your insights.
Change comes from within. First we think and ponder about things, explore our inner selves, then act on our newfound truths & realities. ;)

Hi Tatoulia :)
So happy that the inheritance sorting is going well and your "new" items are making you so ecstatic to have them! :D

Hi Roxie :) "clink!"
Wishing you good luck sorting out the hospital billing. (((hugs)))
That is always such a confusing mess.

Hi Jess :)
WAY TO GO!!! keeping up with the maintenance!
Remember you can break down those other daunting tasks into smaller bits. You don't have to do them start to finish all in the same time.
Yes, posting in weekly task might help keep you accountable to us and yourself to get started on them. :)

I had just kept plugging along, doing whatever needed to be done around here.
Unfortunately, this unrelenting heat day and night, day after day finally got to me.
An evaporative cooler does not work well when there is humidity and we have lots of that right now.
Been 108 outside and 80 inside during the days, fortunately it does get down in the upper 70s in the early morning.
All the cats look like melted wax candles and I have heat exhaustion.
We are taking it easy now, only doing the absolute necessaries.
Staying inside, hydrated and taking naps.

Wonderful to read all your posts this morning! :D

Take care :)

Hi everybody!

CM, I love reading posts that detail the thought processes the poster is having. It really does help me to concentrate on why things are difficult for me. When I started on this journey of healing I had very little awareness of my own issues that I've had to do a lot of reflection and analyzing. It has helped a ton. Thank you for sharing!

Lately I feel like I've done a lot of work keeping up with maintenance chores, the stuff you have to do over and over. Clean kitchen, clean bathrooms, wash bedding, do laundry, blah blah blah. That plus my job search, taking care of the doggy, and minding the garden and bees have left me feeling like I've done a lot but certain things are never getting done.

There's another category of things that keep getting pushed off. Like organizing all my papers, doing the wedding album, breaking down boxes and recycling them, etc. So I guess I'm saying that I'm keeping things relatively clean but I'm slacking off on tackling clutter and let's face it, stuff I don't really want to do and rationalize as non-essential. Bad Jess! :P

Think it's time to go back to posting in weekly task!

Hi, Tatoulia and everyone,

Tatoulia, glad you enjoyed my account of my dialogue with myself! I know my posts are lengthy - one thing I don't hoard is words, because there are plenty more where they come from, LOL! Plus I like to write, majored in it in college. When I had my big epiphany about my hoarding, I thought of doing a blog. I'm currently undecided about that, but consider this as a way of dipping my toes in the water while I decide.

I am also a pretty introspective type, which in the past I think I allowed to become navel-gazing at times. Now I'm trying to make it more geared toward true self-improvement and more direct and practical in everyday life, if you see what I mean. I figure sharing those insights into my own thought process might help others who struggle with the hoarding temptation.

Well, time to wrap up on the computer and get going with the day, so this post will actually be of a reasonable length.

Congratulations, CM! I know all those feelings so very well--good to hear your thought processes--not much different from the ones I felt a year ago when i was in the midst of my big clean. I had to remind myself that these things exist in the world and that it needs to be enough for me--no more hanging on to things for other people. I also tell myself that this thing or that thing has been loved enough me, time for someone else to love it. It's amazingly helpful to have a dialogue going during the process! I appreciated reading about yours!

I am sorting through a recent inheritance and it's going well. Essentially getting rid of my things and keeping the newly inherited. Two of the pieces came as quite a surprise--furniture I had loved and admired for more than 30 years. I had no idea that someday these things would be mine and I keep pinching myself. In the process of getting rid of the things I already had. Have taken care of all but my big coffee table--it has a new home already, just need to deal with the paperwork (sitting on the table) and call the person to come get it.

Keep up the good work and hello to Tillie, LR, Bitsy, Roxie, Diane & everyone else!

Checking in . . .

Lagging on the room some - but roommate and I have been on projects which will benefit us both space-wise so that is worth it. I'll admit that's not all the reason for my lagging - lethargy and indecision are always lurking. :P

However, what I was able to do on the storage unit the other day is helping point me to what I need to do with it next. I also, during that outing, gave some stuff to the DAV, and I have to tell you all about that because I know you'll relate:

It was some miscellaneous items that I had decided to let go of even though some were kind of cool. One was a box of miscellaneous vintage Christmas cards I'd bought a long time ago, somewhere, I forget where. I'd thought over the years of doing various things with them - selling them on Ebay, giving them to others who might want to send them out, or even sending them out myself. But of course, bet you can guess, I dithered and did nothing.

So they were one of the items in this box. I parked in the DAV lot, killed the engine, and sat with that box of stuff. There it was - the "TUG": That last-minute doubt. That "Well, y'know, I really could give these to so-and-so for her scrapbooking, and I'm going to see her next week." So I pull them out of the giveaway box. Then I pull out a magazine and think "Well I should donate it to the library shop rather than here, it'd be more likely to be bought there."

And then I caught myself. And made myself just put the items back in the box and march in there and give them to the clerk and LET GO.

I admit to a 5-10 minute wandering around the store. Sometimes doing this can be therapeutic as I'm beginning to say things to myself such as "See? There will always be (item)," or "Someone thought this was the last word back in the 80s, but truth be told it was ugly then and it's hideous now." But then there is also the "Now this really would be useful" temptation that can arise. Right now, though, fact is I am broke so I couldn't buy anything so that settled it. Talk about a blessing in disguise! ;)

Bottom line - I'm more inclined in future to keep with the newer practice of just dropping off the donations and going right back out and driving away. And if it begins to be a struggle, I might start asking someone else to take the things away for me. But I'm on my own a lot, as a single gal, and I created this problem due to lack of discipline. I would like to think that I can retrain myself - with accountability, support, and prayer - to form better habits and ways.

Guess it's a juggling act - I want to do what I can myself to atone for my past bad judgments in this area and to stretch my brain's capacity to "rewire" itself from the dysfunctional ways. But I know I also have to be on guard against pride - clutter is a sort of an addiction and if it's a matter of being in danger regressing, and asking for help would prevent that, then I will ask for help. :)

Good Morning Everybody :)

Hi Critical Mass :)
WAY TO GO!!! on making some progress with the storage unit! :D

Hi Tatoulia :)
FANTASTIC! that you have been able to keep things in maintenance mode! :D
I know how hard it is to sort out inherited things. :(
Take care. (((HUGS)))

I've been trying to keep up with things here but with the heat it's been hard.
Not sleeping much so I just get up and do things during the night while it is cooler.
Have to watch out for snakes and skunks when I am outside working in the dark.
Mr. H is almost all healed up and should be going back to work very soon now.
Will be so nice when he is not here 24/7 and no more home health nurses coming around 3 times a week.
I really need my "alone Time" back.
Time I need to recharge physically, mentally and spiritually.

Today I am writing up a To-Do list for this week so I won't forget to do important things.
So far, I have 2 things on the list but will keep adding to it as I see and remember things I need to remember to do.

Check in here when you can.
You all are never far from my thoughts. (((hugs)))

Checking in--sorry I've been unavailable. House is a mess due to inheriting some things in the past month. Know exactly what to get rid of but need to work on it. Have some unexpected time this AM and will use to my advantage. Keeping bedroom clean and clear -- Have kept up with weekly maintenance there and am pleased. Will now work on something and will check back in.

Much love to All-- have been thinking of you but slightly overwhelmed lately. Need to desperately get back on track.

Coffee clinks!

Well, yesterday I stopped by my storage unit and did make some progress there. Didn't have time to do the bedroom but it's on today's docket.

Stay cool, everyone - Tillie, 105 - Ugh! I feel for you! And the kitties!

Hi :)

Internet service was down this morning but is back online again.

Hi Critical Mass :)
Good Luck with your bedroom project! :D

Hi LR2014 :)
Wishing you Good Luck with the vehicle project! :D

Hi Karl :)
How's the laundry coming along?
Hope you find a way to get the air moving through your room and still maintain your privacy.

It is 105 degrees right now on my back porch which is always shady & cooler than other areas of the property.
Brought all the cats inside earlier to keep them cool.
I don't do much during the hottest time of day.
We do have lots of popsicles. :)

Yay, the cooler weather came in - and some rain along with it! My roommate is home on vacation and I want to move my computer into my bedroom so we can each have our own spaces to do our respective computer work. That will force me this afternoon to deal with the half-completed bedroom decluttering so there's room to set up the computer table. It should be entirely doable if I don't get interruptions and lose track (ADD hey look a squirrel etc.). Guess I should also allow for mini breaks to avoid burnout, eh? Anyhow, wish me luck on it all!

Haven't read many of today's posts yet, but I did read the suggestion that I check in. Iced tea clinks, Roxie.

If all goes according to my plans tomorrow, I intend to spend a significant amount of time working once again on my "vehicle project." I hope to be able to report some significant progress by the end of the weekend.

Happy evening to all.

Hi everyone,

Tillie, that's a good idea about the computer browser. Less hassle than composing in Word. Thanks!

There really are too many decisions to make at once - moving just increases the number of the ones that already existed because of the hoarding problem.

Another thing is uncertainty. For instance, we have a large item to give away and someone who wants it, but will have to round up help, etc. He's also super busy, has lots of folks who depend on him. So we'll set a time and then wait. And if he gets held up it's usually in a way that keeps him from calling to inform us.

I'm one of those who just wants things like that settled - now! And yet, I paradoxically have trouble using the waiting time. I'm going to find something here though, and since I haven't been able to reach the friend I'm going to assume today doesn't work out and go on with my day. Why that is so hard to do, triggers such a cascade of indecision, is beyond me. But there it is.