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Hoarding Cleanup Service
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Scooter
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Posted: 06 March 2015 - 10:48 AM
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Scooter is the destroyer of all cardboard boxes. He tears at them with his fancy sharp claws and rips them to shreds with his sharp pointy teeth. These two boxes will be history in a few short days. I swear that cat is half weasel/badger/wolverine. :D
Scooter sleep in a box, no way ever.
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The Cat who walked by himself
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Posted: 06 March 2015 - 10:40 AM
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in the wild wet wood and all places were alike to him.
Hey Scooter, As my role model, I hope you are not one of the cats sleeping in boxes. I have a problem with tight spaces.
D (and :D )
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Tillie
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Posted: 06 March 2015 - 10:33 AM
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H Dave :) Scooter says "HI" too.
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Tillie
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Posted: 06 March 2015 - 10:32 AM
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Here is more of the back story.... After I decluttered and cleaned the main room (kitchen area, living room area and dining room area) I wanted to make some improvements, like paint the ceiling and walls. But I couldn't paint because the roof was leaking, had been leaking for years causing the sheet rock to become saturated and the plaster to fall down in places. I couldn't repair that damage because it was still an ongoing problem. Every time I asked about the new roof we desperately needed he would always say "I'll get to it". He refused to let me call a contractor to do the work because he said "I refuse to pay someone to do a job that I can do myself". I knew exactly the locations to place the buckets to collect the rain water in the established leak locations but soon other new leaks started happening. This went on for too many years but finally one leak got his attention. This new leak started over his computer desk, threatening to destroy his elaborate computer set up. That week he bought the roof shingles, asked me to pick out the color, I chose a pretty medium brown shade. The next week he shingled the roof. Then I was able to fix the ceiling in the main room. After that was done I bought a gallon of ceiling paint and painted. For the walls I went through his massive paint can collection, choosing the cans with still viable shades of white paint. Most cans were 1/3 or 1/4 full so I emptied them all together into a bucket. Then I took a can of very dark green paint and slowly added some green little by little to get a lovely pastel green color. For the tiny kitchen area I bought a can of satin gloss enamel in pastel lavender. Then I reinstalled the kitchen ceiling light fixture that had become so saturated from the roof leaks that one day it fell off the ceiling, hanging only by the electrical wires as water cascaded through it. :D
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dave
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Posted: 06 March 2015 - 10:09 AM
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Yeah,
Tatoutlia has no possibility of Death Valley Scotty coming to the rescue in case of breakdown! :)
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Tillie
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Posted: 06 March 2015 - 09:44 AM
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Good Morning :)
Hi Dave :) FANTASTIC!!! WAY TO GO!!! for letting the jars go!!! I know how hard this has been for you but you did it any way! (((hugs)))
Hi Tatoulia :) Your "new" birthday dinner plans sound great! :D I'm so happy you got your car all taken care of and I don't have to worry about it breaking down, stranding you along some dark and lonely road. (((hugs)))
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Tatoulia
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Posted: 05 March 2015 - 08:34 PM
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Ps to Tillie: Oh cats in boxes! So sweet! My cat isn't a box cat but my boyfriend's cat (a giant tabby) can fit himself in ANY sized box. Smaller the better!!!
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Tatoulia
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Posted: 05 March 2015 - 08:30 PM
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Hello everyone !
Tillie thank you for the insight into your situation, past and present. Very helpful to me. Diane, WOW. Very good work! Dave , we did not get our promised snow here today, and I guess it went to your house instead.
My sister decided yesterday not to come due to threats of snowstorm, and I agreed with her (although I was disappointed). I didn't want her driving so much (5hours round trip) with the way the weatherman was talking. We will celebrate my birthday next week, although I won't be able to take day off. We decided she could spend the day with mom, and then the three of us will go for dinner. Mom will be pleased all around-- I think it's been a decade since she's seen my sister and I eat a meal together. The weather should be much improved and I like the whole idea!
I still took day off and took care of car maintenance. Car was at dealership nearly the whole day and I spent part of day at dealership and then got ride to boyfriend's office, where I read my kindle while he worked. It was a nice, peaceful day and I did exactly what I felt like doing. I'm reading a memoir of someone who grew up in squalor and it's a good read. She is nice and respectful toward her parents and put a lot of effort into protecting them while she was growing up. I'm not done with book yet. It's well-written--meaning she's not preachy or dramatic. It's also not written in a cutesy way; she's done a good job of relaying her story and her experiences-- working a lot since she had no place to sleep, showering at a friend's house because their pipes were leaking and they'd turned off their water supply, etc. sometimes angry or resentful but largely protective of her parents. She doesn't belabor anything. I'm enjoying the book--she easily could've turned her story into something dramatic and she didn't.
Car is driving great and I'm very pleased that I took the time to just get everything done. I want it to run for another few years so then I can give it to someone. And then either go car-free or get something less practical. I had to switch to a practical car about six years ago in order to comfortably cart my family around.
So I had a great day. When car was finished my boyfriend took me to dealership and we had a sandwich and I came home and napped. Tiny cat is next to me now and life is good.
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dave
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Posted: 05 March 2015 - 07:46 PM
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Tillie, Thank you for weather analysis advice. I am so discombobulated from the concept of dosing the vehicle with Benadryl that I am unable to properly think about weather issues.
I still have some concern about how my neighbor directly across the fence behind me and I will be able to clearly talk about the same snow storm, but since we only talk 2-3 times a year (mostly when I am dropping tree branches on the wrong side of the fence) I can let that issue rest right now.
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Dave
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Posted: 05 March 2015 - 07:41 PM
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Diane, This is NOT Carte Blanche to save every TV tray for the next 2 months. However.....
If you have some kitchen cabinets that have some narrow drawers in them, you might be able to lay the end flanges of the tray across the width of the drawer and make a little sliding tray on the top of the drawer.
Mrs Dave found a 4 drawer base cabinet at a thrift store that was in decent shape and brought it home. It is a bit of a problem because it has a 3" filler built onto one side so it takes more room than is good for our space, but we have set it on the floor next to our cabinets. I have laid some oversize tv dinner trays (Maybe Stouffer-not sure) across the top of some of them and it works very nicely.
I did have to discard some assorted plastic trays along with the bottles on Tuesday. The recycle truck didn't come until around noon on Wed-I about went out 2 or 3 times Wed morning to reclaim some "valuable" jars, but did not. I did settle on keeping a 2 channel cookie tray of fairly sturdy plastic for the computer area. Not sure that can be permanent either but I will be hunting for a place to put it down at least for awhile in a little bit (2 days of new dishes and plastic to wash).
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Tillie
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Posted: 05 March 2015 - 10:59 AM
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Good morning :)
Hi Diane :) Hoping you got in some groceries and have restocked that freezer. :D WAY TO GO!!! for taking care of all that household maintenance and fixing yourself a great breakfast too! :D Wishing you a fun day today at work. (((hugs)))
Hi Dave :) I think when it comes to snow it all depends on the perspective of the person observing it fall. It showed it's self to you falling to the left, where it then landed, presenting a sinister, AKA left-handed, tendency. LOL ;D
The cats have had their breakfast. Today I want to get outside and either play or do some yard work.
I now have two cardboard boxes. One in the living room area and one in the dining room area. I hate card board boxes but for now I will keep these two boxes and their contents. In each box is a cat. Cats love to sit, play and sleep in boxes. :D
TTYL :)
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dave
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Posted: 04 March 2015 - 09:31 PM
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I looked out the window this morning. It was snowing. The snow was falling from right to left. I thought OHO! SINISTER snow, because it was landing on the left.
But then I realized I did not really know. Maybe it was DEXTROUS snow because it was starting on the right.
So, Inquiring minds want to know, Does where it starts or where it lands, in relation to viewing point, determine whether the snow is SINISTER or DEXTROUS?
:)
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Diane
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Posted: 04 March 2015 - 01:28 PM
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Thanks Tillie, what a challenge at your house, and thanks for going back to the basics Well it finally happened, did not go outside even for morning coffee!!! Spent 45 minutes washing dishes, etc in kitchen, then lo and behold, cleaned other areas and vacuumed, not perfect, but so much better. It has heled so much to get connected to this site again. When I stay away, start to get off track. After 3&1/2 hours of work in here this morning, I thought this is how I attack bushes, trees, painting, things that are not urgent, time to go back to basics. Washed and hung dirty sheets, load 3 is now in washer. I cooked chicken breasts that I thawed a few days ago, cooked red potatoes too, good or should I say great breakfast for a change. Washed those dishes too. I was thinking I have enough food for tomorrow so could wait to shop, truth is I will be tired after work and will come straight home, so really would be pleased if I got my butt in car today. If I wait until Friday, it will be too busy, so here I am talking myself into going. I loved to go shopping, now it is scary, not trusting I will only buy what I need. Out to yard for my tea break, and self talk to go get groceries.
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Tillie
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Posted: 04 March 2015 - 10:58 AM
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Years ago people asked me... after the de cluttering and clean up, how do you maintain the home so it doesn't get back to the way it was before. It was requested of me that I post daily the tasks that I do to maintain my home. It is also important to maintain the cleared and cleaned areas as a person digs out to keep from having them be re cluttered. When my entire tiny house was filled with a massive hoard, I could not clean or cook. It was impossible. Once I removed all his clutter from the main living areas cleaning became easy again. I did not throw out anything, just boxed/bagged and labeled where in the house it came from and moved it to the garage, his bedroom or the carport, depending on what the stuff was and where it should be kept. The main room here is the kitchen area, living room area and dining room area combined. 14 feet by 20 feet. Very small. There is a small bathroom, small pantry, small hallway and a small room the size of a walk in closet that I have also decluttered, cleaned and now maintain. I have made a garden sanctuary right outside the front door that I love tending to. His bedroom, the 4 car garage, 3 car carport and the surrounding acre of land is completely cluttered. We were at level 5 due to the septic system not being maintained do to being inaccessible, causing a pool of sewage to develop. This went on for several years. Right now the areas I have made into my "no clutter zones" are at level 0 but the rest of our home hovers between level 3 in areas to level 5 in some areas but mostly a strong level 4 throughout. These areas are his to do with as he pleases. We have rats, deer mice/hantavirus, millions of spiders/scorpions, snakes, hornets/wasps, mosquito larva growing in standing water/West Nile virus, ants and all sorts of other creatures living here. There is a lot of structural damage caused and being caused by the hoard and things that should be fixed are not being fixed so things are deteriorating rapidly.
So yes, I do what I can here to maintain the best that I can so we can have some quality to our lives.
What am I doing today :) Today I am cleaning the bathroom, sweeping the floors, vacuuming and scrubbing/scouring and sanitizing the litter boxes. Then I plan to work on my sewing projects.
Have a GREAT day everybody. :)
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Tillie
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Posted: 04 March 2015 - 10:22 AM
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Good morning :)
Hi Diane :) The dress is very simple. A bodice with short loose/flowing sleeves and a full skirt. A style as comfortable as a muu muu but not as informal, suitable enough to wear away from the house. WTG! for all you are doing! :D YES! get some food. Fill the freezer with smoothie berries. :D Planning on getting outside and working/playing tomorrow. The frigidly cold breeze should be gone by then. My Apricot tree started blooming yesterday.
:)
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Diane
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Posted: 04 March 2015 - 09:49 AM
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Good morning Dave and gals. Hi Tillie, wanted to see if I could get on here early enough to say "thanks" before your morning hello---and I did. I read your post last night and enjoyed it so much. Also, wanted to ask you to describe your new dress. I want to make some simple A line dresses. Not moo-moo age yet, but getting close. Finally put clean sheets on last night and showered and washed hair, as long as I was still doing yard work, smelled like smoke, so shower made it final, no more yard work. Time to make some progress in here and finally go grocery shopping, have not gone in a month, my poor little freezer and refrigerator/freezer are bare. Dishes are soaking, one load of laundry hung, and now will set timer and really do dishes. Work tomorrow so want clean living area, to come home to, and good food to eat.'hugs Tillie we are both going to have days in the 60's this week, lets really enjoy them
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Tillie
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Posted: 03 March 2015 - 08:10 PM
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Good evening :)
Hi Roxie :) Keeping meds close at hand is practical and understandable. I have a large family of quail living in my garden. They travel out and about to scratch up food during the day. Every evening they return home to sleep in a large cedar right outside my window. They are used to seeing and hearing us inside and listening to their gentle chatter during the night is soothing.
Hi Dave :) Thank you. WAY TO GO! getting the jars to the recycling! Good luck for how you feel tomorrow. :D Thanks for the laughs today. My Hoarder ( who by the way is alright with me calling him My Hoarder/Mr. Hoarder. Actually said "if I'm not your hoarder then who's hoarder would I be?") Anyway, National geographic is something he has actually given away. His complete collection dated back to 1956. Before he was even born. He gave it to a little boy Scout but only after I asked the boy's mother if she was ok with having a whole room taken over with magazines. :)
Hi Diane :) WAY TO GO!!! For all you got done and for your wonderful insights. Thank you for all the support you give to me. :)
Spent today sewing a dress for this Summer. Now I have to wait for it to warm up so I can wear it. Visited with my neighbor friend for a while. Get to baby sit her beasties and house later this month when they take an anniversary vacation trip. :D
So very nice to catch up with you all tonight! Thank you (((hugs))) :)
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Diane
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Posted: 03 March 2015 - 07:37 PM
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Dave you and I were writing at the same time, brilliant minds in tune. You made me smile ear to ear again!!! Serious socks. So proud of you for recycling jars, you do have enough jars, area is full, good you let go and tomorrow you will be fine, reminding yourself you have enough, hooray
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Diane
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Posted: 03 March 2015 - 07:32 PM
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Well, another burn and trim day in the yard, had to remind myself of OCD and it is time to stop and realize it is good enough, and no more for now. Roxie, fun reading your post, and visualize the cars. Good reminder to take better care of ourselves so we can be more loving to others, less need to prove I am right when feeling good. Drama is so disturbing, and I used to thrive on it. Tat, has the snow melted yet? You have had a really difficult winter, so happy your sister is in your life. It is ok to not work on clutter this week, you have done so much good. Dave happy you are able to keep kitchen clean and are looking at bright side of washing a pan 3 times a day. I threw away a microwave dish last night for practice. It was so odd, like I was emotionally attached to it and knew I would never use it again, but wanted to keep it. Forgot about it today until I read your bottle story, I could relate so much on keeping good containers. When I was out chopping, thought about what a big business storage has become and the hours it takes to store all of our crap, and find it again. I have gotten perfect storage racks, containers etc., when it dawned on me the more perfect, would be to get rid of more stuff. Tillie, you are so kind and thoughtful and encouraging. Thought of you when I was practicing productive avoidance, trimming---. Then you said "it is good enough", your words of wisdom are in my head, even though it takes awhile to hear them. Thank you Tillie for all the time you take to include all of us in your posts, means so much.
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Sock Guy
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Posted: 03 March 2015 - 07:24 PM
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"My socks can cover all the feet in a village."
So I wonder, are the lower bipedal extremities in European villages called feet or meters? If it is meters, that would allow additional justifiable garment retention for meter covering in addition to foot covering. ( :) )
(When Diane and I gather the mental discipline to pass on socks, the thrift stores in our areas will have 3 categories of merchandise. National Geographics, Socks and Everything Else.)
Regards to all.
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dave
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Posted: 03 March 2015 - 07:14 PM
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Ok. I am placing the second empty Ragu pasta sauce jar, the valuable widemouth Tostito sauce jar and the valuable widemouth Kraft parmesan cheese jar in recycle. My save spaces for the "Valuable" jars are full.
We'll see how I feel about this action tomorrow.
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dave
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Posted: 03 March 2015 - 03:37 PM
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(Or yachting in some woods. I guess the Great North Woods are east of you.)
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dave
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Posted: 03 March 2015 - 11:14 AM
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Tillie Thank you for your special efforts at acknowledging and encouraging folks.
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dave
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Posted: 03 March 2015 - 11:05 AM
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re:Coffee. Back at ya.
Maybe he will give you a new car and boat along with dark chocolate.
We will see you yachting in the Great North Woods this summer! ( :) )
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Roxie
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Posted: 03 March 2015 - 10:35 AM
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Coffee salute!
It is wonderful to see you all posting and I hope more return. I have always felt welcome here though I can see people sometimes getting into their own issues. I figure here and in therapy are both good places to see our own issues, often in the posts of others, and to begin working on them. I know when I don't take better care of myself I can get sensitive and/or cranky, so those are my cues to pay more attention to self-care, for instance.
Congrats on all you've accomplished, Dave, Tat and Diane. I enjoy Tillie's relationship with nature and animals, and it helps me see the other side of hoarding (those our behavior affects). I think that my brother has really kept up with the kitchen and is using the dishwasher effectively now, which is great. I don't know if it was bad before or just little behind. He collects many things but mostly cars and boats. He says he's sold some in the past year. They are antiques and in some way special, though I'd like to see him empty out more of them.
I can see my own tendencies. For instance, at home I made my own little "nest" on my bed so things I need regularly (like medicine) is handy. Doing that here, too, but am trying to observe and deal with it. I still want things right there when I wake up (med and nebulization routines)
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Tillie
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Posted: 03 March 2015 - 09:52 AM
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Good morning
Hi Tatoulia :) Wonderful post! You have come so far in your journey here. Such wonderful progress you have made with your thought processes. (((hugs)))
Hi Diane :) Your yard sounds wonderful. You have done so much there. Thinking of you out there this Spring/Summer/Autumn just enjoying it all. :D Whenever I get pine pitch all over me I use paint thinner to remove it but that is dangerous because then you are flammable.
Hi Dave :) WAY TO GO!!! with keeping up with the kitchen!!! I know it is a tedious job but it makes such a huge difference in the quality of life for you and your family. (((hugs))) Good luck with the pasta jar project. ;)
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dave
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Posted: 02 March 2015 - 08:16 PM
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for tomorrow and following, I have Flexible Spending Account, Income Taxes and clearing out stuff.
I am stuck with arguing with myself about stuff like empty pasta sauce bottles, empty parmesan cheese bottles and extra pillow cases.
The standard arguments; I like them and want to keep them, As soon as I discard them I will need them. I haven't read the older posts carefully but I think I saw something fly by about gift boxes. I guess if Tat can get rid of a Bonewit and Teller gift box, I can dispose of a Ragu pasta sauce bottle (with the nice sealing lid that helps keep your nails from rusting).
Mrs Dave fusses me out about saying the negative stuff, so for encouragement and postives to all, I can say I've been doing a pretty good job keeping up with the kitchen. Our son is visiting for a bit so there are more dishes and pans, I don't always get them done the same day now, but I have been having pretty good success at keeping everything from the previous day cleaned up by supper of the next day so the small carved out eating and cooking spaces and tools are clean for the next evening meal.
I get sort of grumpy sometimes when I see the same pan come round 2-3 times during the day. I work to remind myself that I enjoy eating and that I am supporting my family by seeing that there are clean utensils for Mrs Dave, our son and myself to use for a meal a day together.
For now, I think I will stop there. Best wishes to all.
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Diane
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Posted: 02 March 2015 - 07:00 PM
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Wow, great to see a post from Cory, things to ponder------. I enjoy reading all posts on here, and watching my reactions, helps me see areas where I need to look at. I have felt a big gut wrenching ouch reading some posts. Taking the high road, I have attempted to not get involved, just focus on improving my behavior. I do learn from hoarders and those affected by hoarding, nice to see both sides. Helps me see how my hoard has affected others. I appreciate all the support I have gotten on here and in chat for progress made. Thanks to Cory for making this site for all of us. Today I chopped and burned yard stuff, almost done, reclaimed a large area that juniper shrub had taken over, now can walk all the way around my beautiful blue spruce, I love my tree, cut lower branches off so can sit under it this summer, cleaned debris from under too. Now need to wash dishes. Got pitch in my hair, cut big chunks out, now plan to oil my hair to try to disolve pitch, then shower wash hair, and put clean sheets on bed. Reading your clean sheet posts, inspired me. I appreciate your posts on this thread, each one is dear to me
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Tatoulia
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Posted: 02 March 2015 - 06:58 PM
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How nice to read everyone's posts. Fun to see a post from you Dave. And nice to have Roxie back! Just get some help on the bedding. No need to push your physical limits!
Diane has your freezer room kept up with the winter weather?
For me, I have done nothing to improve my clutter. On Thursday (fingers crossed weather cooperates) I will see my sister for lunch and I will send her off with some things. She is worried re time crunch, but if I can give her one bin I'll be happy. We can clear the remainder of stuff from BF's basement once Spring has sprung. The stuff in BF's basement falls in two categories: stuff that needs to be gone through and taken to its final resting place (donation or keepers) and a few things I'd like stored for me. Stuff in my house for my sister is antique dishes and glassware from my mother and grandmothers, and I am giving to sister outright for her to enjoy. A year ago I couldn't have shared or let go of any of this stuff and I certainly couldn't send a box of unknown stuff out into the world. Thank goodness for all of you. Letting go of the control--the control I want over stuff but in fact the stuff has over me--is critical.
Would love an update from Mel and LR and Dianne and others. Til then, I will continue to celebrate my resolve.
Thank you Tillie and Dave and Diane and Roxie and everyone else. Glass is raised! Time for a toast!
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Tillie
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Posted: 02 March 2015 - 09:50 AM
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Good morning :)
Hi Tatoulia and tiny cat :) Spring is right around the corner with all it's greenery and colorful blooms. :D
Hi Diane :) Sorry to hear your sleep schedule is messed up. Go easy on yourself. Get some R&R and hopefully some sun beams.
Hi Dave :) That is my favorite childhood movie and I can still remember the words to all the songs. :D
Hi Roxie :) WAY TO GO!! getting the bed cleared off! The quilt sounds lovely and yes those denim ones are very heavy. Please ask for some help with it. :)
The cats have had their breakfast. Soon I will get dressed and do the usual Monday morning cleaning. Have to keep my tiny oasis in the middle of all this chaos clean and tidy to prevent it being re-hoarded. The cotton tail rabbits are back nesting in the hoard in the carport. The desert pack rats still live under the house, chewing everything. All the deer mice partying in the floor to ceiling hoard in the garage will soon be disposed of when all the snakes that live everywhere in the massive clutter come out of hibernation. At least all these creatures including the snakes are docile, with live & let live attitudes. The wasps and black widow spiders and brown recluse spiders and scorpions are not friendly. They will soon wake up from their winter sleep. I am ready to take on the battle, have spray cans at the ready. ;)
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Roxie
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Posted: 02 March 2015 - 09:19 AM
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Good morning Tat, Diane, Tillie and Dave. Good to see you all here. :)
I did get the bed emptied off but did not yet change sheets. I'll have to collaberate with my brother as to whether to wash and put the sheets back on, or change them all together. May need help with the heavy quilt. I think it's great. It's made of pin-whale denim and regular denim and has those double seams that jeans do. Very warm, very heavy.
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dave
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Posted: 02 March 2015 - 03:26 AM
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where the wind blows __ sounds like mary poppins.
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Tatoulia
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Posted: 01 March 2015 - 09:12 PM
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Diane I too struggle with sleep and have my entire life. Thank you for a fresh perspective--greatly appreciated.
Snowing here again. But it's March 1st, and I have you all here, and there's a tiny cat sitting next to me. Life is good.
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Diane
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Posted: 01 March 2015 - 09:08 PM
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Happy March to you, wonderful women. Nice to read your posts. Did not sleep well last night, darn it. When I felt crappy, just reminded myself it was not permanent, just one bad night, and do the best I could today, to enjoy the day. Tomorrow will be better. visualizing hugs
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Tatoulia
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Posted: 01 March 2015 - 04:32 PM
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Happy March, dear Tillie!
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Tillie
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Posted: 01 March 2015 - 11:35 AM
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Good Morning Everybody! :D
So nice to catch up with you all while I drink my tea. :D
Yesterday was all dark clouds and rain and snow. This morning is clear blue sunny skies but that could change as the day progresses. Cats have had their breakfast. Soon I will get dressed and make my bed. That's as far as I have planned for today. :) Will mostly do/go where ever the wind blows me.
Happy March! :D
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Tatoulia
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Posted: 01 March 2015 - 10:52 AM
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Ah, Roxie, how I love clean sheets! I like to take a shower, put on clean PJs and then just sink in to a nice clean bed. Even at its worst, when it was hard to even walk into my bedroom, I kept up with the sheets. For my trash-hoarder friend, he frequently just slept on a dirty mattress or brought his dirty blanket into the couch with him. But no matter where any of us fall on the spectrum, there is very little that beats the feeling of clean sheets.
Raising my coffee cup for a toast!
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Roxie
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Posted: 01 March 2015 - 09:41 AM
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Coffee "clink" all around.
Hi, Tillie and diane. Glad you caught that the license was expired, Diane. I'd have been scared, though a few years ago I did drive around with an expired license until I "got around to it." Hoarder think.
I spent time sorting through things on the bed and I got a small garbage bag of junk to toss. Next step is move 4 books to dresser and strip the sheets. It'll be so nice to have the bed with fresh sheets!
Thinking of you
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Diane
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Posted: 28 February 2015 - 03:54 PM
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So it is the February blahs-----tomorrow will need a new excuse, March. Good to see your posts. I have been out in the sun but it is so cold with the wind. Did my 15 + minutes cleaning in kitchen this morning. No motivation, set the timer and just did it. I can see it could be a habit, if I can just keep doing it daily. Yesterday jumped from project to project, then this morning had to stop myself for being critical. I have to take Friday to jump around after stressful job on Thursday. This morning moved wood on deck closer to door, because so cold, make it easier to get inside. Forgot to call for tax appt, so have to do that Monday. When I went to bank she checked ID, and said license was expired since November. Went to DMV and they said sine I did not renew my CDL (commercial drivers license with new medical card) they canceled my license. So have been driving without a license since November, oh boy. They did not charge late fee because it was a weird thing that I had been cancelled for such a strange reason, so just $40 to renew. Relief it is done.
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Tillie
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Posted: 28 February 2015 - 10:12 AM
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Hi Roxie :)
Wonderful to hear what you are doing. :D Happy you had a nice visit with your cousin. Socializing is very tiring both mentally and physically, but it is a good kind of tired. ;)
Tea toast "clink"
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Roxie
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Posted: 28 February 2015 - 09:47 AM
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It is so invigorating to find new posts here. I guess the February doldrums have hit some of us?
A favorite cousin came to visit enroute elsewhere. It was wonderful to see her but I found that sitting and talking exhausted me! Yeesh
It is a beautifully sunny day today even if cold. I refilled my medicine box dispenser thingee, which takes quite a while. I've cleared off the bed with a view to changing sheets this weekend.
Coffee toast.
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Tillie
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Posted: 27 February 2015 - 09:53 AM
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Good morning :)
WOW! just WOW! Such beautiful inspiring posts to read this morning!
WAY TO GO! :D
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Diane
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Posted: 26 February 2015 - 10:04 PM
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Tat, dear Tat, what a wonderful, informative post, reading it made me happy to see your progress in many areas!!!! Thanks for opening your heart to us and others. Happy, happy, (14) days of birthday celebration. You have helped me get rid of so many boxes, thank you. See you soon
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Tatoulia
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Posted: 26 February 2015 - 09:20 PM
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Holding a glass of cranberry juice and toasting us all! Good to hear from you, Roxie, Diane and Tillie. All of you here have helped me so much, and with a birthday approaching (I like to celebrate at least a week before and a week or so after), I find myself reflecting on the past year. And how the positives in my life, in large part, come from everyone here--the frequent and infrequent posters, the current and past posters. And a giant thank you for that. And your help has had some surprising results.
I talk ad naseum re the obvious accomplishments and the continuing struggles, but there are more subtle things. I am making plans with my sister for next week--she and I were never friends, not even while growing up, and at times I didn't care how many years would pass til we'd see each other again. And yet, after swearing I'd never write or email or call again, I mentioned that I had a giant storage space and I needed help to get rid of it. She borrowed a car and drove here two or three times and took back loads of stuff. She helped me figure out keepers and what to get rid of. She described a large shed on her property as "our shed." And just like that, we formed an easy, let's have a casual bite to eat, friendship. It's easy and not forced at all. I don't think we will ever delve any deeper than sharing pictures of cats, but thanks to the internet and its never-ending supply of cats in baskets, I don't think we will need to. And this is all due to finally facing my hoard. Thank you.
Another lasting benefit is boxes. I got rid of every cute and shiny and precious and perfect gift box. Dozens and dozens of them. This store, that store. Filene's, Bonwit Teller, McCurdy's. Long gone stores but not forgotten. And to this day, I reject boxes as soon as they enter my house. Even yesterday, a client gave me a clever little gift and the box was remarkable. Yet useless. I kept the gift and got rid of the box.
I don't buy multiples. I have only slipped twice recently where I couldn't resist a sale and bought things as gifts for other people. And I learned something there, too. It's not a bargain if I'm buying it as a gift with no one in mind and then I need to wrack my brain just to give a gift to someone I normally wouldn't buy for.
So, for the piles on my coffee table and the wrapping paper in the trunk of my car, their time will come. For now, I thank you for opening my eyes and giving me friendship and support. I have made great strides but let us speak the truth, it was a group effort.
So Tillie, dear Diane and Roxie, I raise my cranberry juice to you and to us! Much love from Tatoulia, with the hope that my friends Bitsy and LR and Dianne and all of the others who comprise the "we" in "we can do it" read this.
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Diane
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Posted: 26 February 2015 - 08:10 PM
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Hi Roxie, so happy to hear of your progress. So grateful you moved in with brother. Tillie, yes, I am surrounded by neighbors that smoke so am paranoid a fire could be started, since they all smoke outside, so taking all dead things off trees and bushes gives me comfort, also took branches off that hang over wood fence where a neighbor smokes. Most of fencing is wire, so make a clear area inside and out of fence. Work today was so much better today than last week. I was determined to respond with a cheerful voice no matter what was said to me or how it was said. Looking at it like a challenge, to be loving to each patient and staff, no matter what. I still felt drained when I got home so took an hour outside looking for more things to fill trash cart, got it full from stuff in here and yard, hooray.I have to be to work before 7am and would you believe I washed dishes before work so could come home to clean sink. Sooooooo happy I get to stay home tomorrow. Supposed to rain so will have lots of fun doing paperwork tomorrow.
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Tillie
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Posted: 26 February 2015 - 11:58 AM
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Hi Roxie :D
GREAT to hear good news on the health issues. Keep up the WONDERFUL progress. YEA!!! for having some more clothes to choose from! :D Toasting you with my tea to your coffee. (((hugs)))
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Roxie
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Posted: 26 February 2015 - 11:26 AM
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It was good to wake up and see Tat, Diane and Tillie posting. Waving coffee cup in salute.
Yesterday I had dr. appt. and had some meds adjusted. My blood oxygen has been steady for a week, so maybe soon I can drop the amount of O2 I need to use.
Not much else. My brother brought in about five bags of clothes and stuff that were designated for me. I had fun sorting and folding or hanging, getting some sense of organization and what I might wear. phew! for having more clothes to wear!
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Tillie
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Posted: 26 February 2015 - 09:28 AM
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Good morning :)
Hi Diane :) Sounds like you had LOTS of fun! WTG! for all you got done too. Looking forward to burning stuff here soon.
Keeping defendable space is the only way to survive wild fires and you are doing fantastic!
Thinking about getting out today to do more garden area sprucing up. Need to decide where I will put out the bird baths and other yard knickknacks. Also want to start another spooky book. Good day to sit outside and read. :D
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Diane
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Posted: 25 February 2015 - 09:26 PM
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Hi Tillie, sounds like you had lots of fun and can see great results, nice you feel content. Did, dishes, prepared food for work tomorrow, 1 load laundry washed and hung. I stained the sides of my large rounds of wood, and a few fence boards. I burned, and burned, all the stuff I trimmed yesterday and today, now I smell like a fire, so have to shower tonight. Was nice to clean up all the debris I cut off trees and shrubs. Neighbors didn't think it was as much fun as I did!!
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Tillie
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Posted: 25 February 2015 - 09:39 AM
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Good Morning :)
Hi Tatoulia :) Soon your snow will melt away to reveal daffodils and tulips in your neck of the woods. :D
Hi Diane :) WTG! on all you accomplished! :D A tree fort to sit in and watch the world go by! :D NICE!
Yesterday turned out to be beautiful here. Stayed out raking a lot longer than I had planned but the results are GREAT. Now when I look out to my garden oasis I feel peace and contentment rather than dread. Looking forward to accomplishing lots more out there, but not today. Need to let this old body rest and recuperate a few days. lol :D My neighbor friend gave me six paper back books and I started reading one. Plan to finish it today. Good and spooky Dean Koontz. :) But first out to hang some laundry on the clothes line.
TTYL :D
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