| Tillie | Posted: 09 December 2016 - 09:56 AM |
Good morning everybody 🙂 Great to read your posts on phase five! 😀 WAY TO GO!!! Everybody on every accomplishment, especially the little ones that really do add up and help make your homes the sanctuary of your dreams. | |
Replies (678)
| Pain | Posted: 09 February 2017 - 05:31 PM |
I've been asleep all day. I'll just keep on with scanning. | |
| Tatoulia | Posted: 09 February 2017 - 04:06 PM |
Hello everyone. We are having a blizzard today. I honestly haven't done much other then some laundry and the dishes. I shoveled and will have someone shovel for me later tonight. Now i want to nap. I'm glad you'll see some family members, CM. the visit will warm your heart. With my mother in her high 80s, I have to treasure every moment. I am thankful she lives just a few blocks from my house. Today when walking with BF in the snow he suggested we stop by Mom's but honestly I just wanted to get home and start shoveling. We tried to shovel before the wind kicked up, so tonight won't be as bad. Tillie congrats on the easy tire fix! Maybe this will get me to do something about my tire finally!! Hope everyone is well. I've been a sloth lately with housework. I just want to sleep. | |
| CriticalMass | Posted: 09 February 2017 - 03:03 PM |
Hi, Got 2nd load of laundry done. One more to go. The plumbing here drains slowly so I'm supposed to wait awhile if doing more than one load a day. But it's been a multitasking sort of day and I don't want to start another load so I'll wait. Have a small box going again for the thrift store. Weather here is blustery but by Saturday it's supposed to be in the 70s! On Sunday I'll ride along with my cousins to the town where they're having the 90th birthday party for my aunt. She's had a lot of health problems and had to go in the nursing home in the last year. Time with the elderly members of my extended family is getting more and more precious. I also visited my parents' grave this week because they both died in February. That family closeness is something I've missed out on a lot of because of the highway driving phobia I've had for many years. If they don't come to me - and since I have neither spouse nor kids it's easier to be overlooked by those who do - I have to wait for an invitation and a ride. There have even been times when I was nervous about riding but that has eased off a little. And I don't want to have regrets so I do the best I can. What does all this have to do with hoarding, you may ask? Well, for me it's so easy to take the path of least resistance and cocoon with my THINGS than face at least some of my fears and reap the benefits of getting to see people and try to forge connections. But I've been stuck in that old rut and I know it well. Memories and love will fill my heart a lot better, and I won't have to dust them or store them or trip over them. So anyway, looking forward to a memorable weekend. | |
| Tillie | Posted: 09 February 2017 - 10:40 AM |
Good Morning Everybody 🙂 Hi Pain 🙂 Hi CriticalMass 🙂 Hi Tatoulia 🙂 | |
| Tatoulia | Posted: 09 February 2017 - 09:11 AM |
Good morning, everyone! Tillie I hope yesterday went okay. I also have one leaky tire that needs to be fixed/replaced. I hope you made it through the encounter in one piece. CM please don't feel defensive about the storage. It is a necessary evil. You are between moves! You need this space! If I made you uncomfortable I hope you'll accept my apology. Dealing with our hoards is tricky business, to be sure. Meanwhile, hip hip hooray on the auto repairs! My house is filthy right now. I did nothing yesterday at all and hope to get some things done today. Anything. We are expecting big snow today. So what are you doing today??? Love a drive-by by Anony if possible! | |
| Pain | Posted: 08 February 2017 - 06:48 PM |
Just asked mother in law. I knew she would do that. Again. It seems I find a happiness in cleaning stuff, but I need help from others. I can't bring myself to touch the dirty forks and spoons that are months old. I can use gloves, but not to wash by hand . They need steamed. I want to reorganize the kitchen appliances in storage. Bring back the expensive ones. But still ready for move. My goal is to get things ready to move to a single store. I'm going to look into a SAM. P.S. One use to tell others to sweep with. Nothing keeps my house on the straight and narrow as getting everyone to participate in sweeping all at once together. They tell me it sucks. I just smile knowing the truth hurts sometimes. | |
| CriticalMass | Posted: 08 February 2017 - 06:33 PM |
Hey, Van is fixed except for the window motor. Maybe doing front shocks but not right away. I have a confession to make. I got to feeling a bit defensive about my storage unit and needed to work through my ruffled feathers. And it wasn't that I felt anyone meant to shame me, and I knew I was taking things personally that I shouldn't, but I was tired and stressed and cranky, so please don't anybody take this as an accusation. I know it's my knee jerk hoarder paranoia when the subject of storage units comes up. For the record, I look forward to the happy day when I no longer have one. But I'm not ready to NOT have one at this time for several reasons - financial and practical, mental and emotional. Okay, 'nuff said on that, moving on. Now that the van is fixed, though I'm broke to the point of being in the red for the rest of the month, I feel okay, because I don't have that suspense about when the repairs would happen. So now I can catch up on many things. Started today with laundry, which will give access to parts of my room blocked by laundry bags, which I can then organize. And I need to call a vacuum cleaner repair place so we can get a new hose on the vacuum. And much more, but a start has been made. | |
| Pain | Posted: 08 February 2017 - 04:32 PM |
Wednesday I went to storage unit. I now about to start scanning photos and important papers. Before I went to bed yesterday. I got all the computers and laptops networked across Wi-Fi . Mother in law brought back washed sheets , comforters, pillow cases, and towels. I'm happy with that and I told her it made me happy. We both went into wife's area and cleaned it . We both made the bedding . I'll scan until dinner. Then I plan to wash all the counter tops in the house. Monday kitchen I wish I knew what other people do. I think I'm better off doing something everyday. | |
| Tillie | Posted: 08 February 2017 - 10:42 AM |
Good Morning 🙂 Hi Tatoulia 🙂 Hi Pain 🙂 High anxiety this morning. | |
| Pain | Posted: 07 February 2017 - 08:53 PM |
Trying to keep the habits going. Trash day cleared the fridge,and all trash cans. Took a long health bath, with ice cream in a cup. Took a long nap. | |
| Tatoulia | Posted: 07 February 2017 - 07:43 PM |
Hi Tillie! I'm glad Mr Tillie was well enough to go to work. Wow--you make housework sound easy. I thought up a few more things to consign but now I've forgotten so that's embarrassing. I haven't done much of anything here so I need to look alive. Tonight I'm hanging out quietly. Kitty is asleep on her chair and I love her so. I have a lot to do tomorrow. I think I can swing working from home Wednesday & Thursday which could give me a chance to do some things around the house. I'll keep you posted. HEY CM is the car finished and working? I hope so. | |
| Tillie | Posted: 07 February 2017 - 03:10 PM |
Good Afternoon 😀 He went to work today and so far, 1:00pm, he's still there. TTFN 🙂 | |
| Tillie | Posted: 06 February 2017 - 09:12 PM |
Hi 😀 WAY TO GO! Pain 😀 Hi Joan 🙂 Hi Tatoulia 🙂 Scooter (the cat) had another Vet appointment today and the Dr. is very pleased with how well his eyes have responded to the treatments. Sleep well you all (((hug))) | |
| Tatoulia | Posted: 06 February 2017 - 07:51 PM |
Tillie, checking in on you & Mr Tillie. Hope you are both ok. | |
| Pain | Posted: 06 February 2017 - 06:30 PM |
Now I truly feel burned out. In my opinion . I mean I'm thinking of getting the Alexa so she call for help just by calling out into air. But she moans and groans and I wonder if that might cause more problems than it would solve. He friends have ordered to stay. ...... I'm sorry I'm just thinking this up as I go. I think I also need a focus on myself thing. Three phases. Features. Uh-huh. That felt good. | |
| Joan | Posted: 06 February 2017 - 12:42 PM |
A note to file under "Benefits of Hoarding": I learned from a friend, about 20 years ago, to wrap fresh spinach tightly in a dish towel and save it that way. I did it for quite a while, but became too unwell to continue following through on the procedure. So I had mostly abandoned fresh spinach. In the last month or so I was too tempted by large plastic bags of robust spinach to resist. I came home with two bags on sale almost two weeks ago, and despaired of eating it all before it went bad. I have been avoiding it for about a week now, although it still looks good in the bag, fearing I would find soupy rotten spinach. But lo❗️❗️❗️ I just opened it, and the spinach is still fresh and bouncy. How did this happen? My fridge was so stuffed after my grocery shopping trip that there was not enough room in it to stash the second bag of spinach. So, I tore the bag open and deflated it - The bags are all inflated like beach balls to fool you into thinking there is enough spinach to last the rest of your life. Then I rolled the bag up tightly and put a rubber band around it. The spinach kept fresh even without the dry kitchen dish towel. | |
| Tatoulia | Posted: 05 February 2017 - 10:58 PM |
Congratulations, Pain, you did it! | |
| Pain | Posted: 05 February 2017 - 10:11 PM |
I had a storage in the past. A refrigerator, washer dryer.25 for 5 years. Then when I needed them they didn't work. Not enough time to give details. So the house is done . I mean done. I think I got too obsessed. But the result is no signs of neglect. I sort of just want to sleep. It was nice to see everyone , but will be nice to see them without making everyone work. I didn't visit very much. Just kept moving from room to room. | |
| Tatoulia | Posted: 05 February 2017 - 09:39 PM |
I'm sorry he's in that kind of pain, Tillie. I've never had a kidney stone but I've heard they are agonizing. I hope he passes it soon. How awful. I hope you don't need to take him to hospital on the middle of the night. I was glad to have the BF buy the art only because i think he'll enjoy some of it and 50 was nominal. He can keep it, give it away, whatever he wants. It's no longer here. And I loved each piece and now it's someone else's turn. The biggest relief is to get rid of it. I also got two bags to goodwill. I didn't get anything done this weekend and I don't care. I got the art out and started the consignment process and it feels great! Kitty and I will be going to bed soon. I will work to get some things done tomorrow, after I sleep in since tomorrow's a day off! | |
| Tillie | Posted: 05 February 2017 - 09:01 PM |
WAY TO GO!!! Tatoulia 😀 Thank you so very much for sharing your own storage history. Warning TMI... Grossness over... Today I washed & sanitized litter boxes, took a shower and did one small load of laundry. BBFN 😀 | |
| Tatoulia | Posted: 05 February 2017 - 05:12 PM |
BF wanted every art piece so there's SIX pieces out of my life. He wanted to get them appraised and then putchase but I said, take them all for a total of 50 if you insist on paying. I didn't want to take the money but at least two pieces I paid over 200 each for and one piece is a sampler from early 1800s and is very, very dear. He can do what he wants with them. I am so relieved to have them gone. And at under 10 a piece, he's done very well for himself. At consignment store I consigned a couple of Antiques and hopefully they will sell. If they don't, then I'll send to goodwill. I just needed to give them a chance. If they sell I'll look into getting rid of more stuff that way. | |
| Tatoulia | Posted: 05 February 2017 - 12:08 PM |
Whenever I see Storage Unit I relive the nightmare that brought me here. I think I had my unit for close to 20 years. By the end I was paying over 350 a month and I was financially going down the tubes. I remember facing facts and starting to get rid of stuff. My brother gave me one of his closets to store my binned Christmas stuff. That ended in disaster as he threw some out, threatened me, became violent, etc. really bad. Anyway, I digress. The good part was my sister helped and we had never been friends or gotten along and now two years later we are still friends. She took some oriental rugs, she helped me decide on other stuff, and before I knew it, I had gotten rid of everything. And I mean everything. Desk grandpa made, my beautiful cherry wood furniture from my childhood, countless bins with bedding, silk drapes, you name it. All gone. And I still feel stress thinking about the years I kept that stuff. Years and years and years. So for me, Storage unit equals big nightmare. I have four pieces of art ready to go to consignment shop. BF has asked to see it first. I have one piece I'll know he'll like and I'm only too happy to give it to him. I've wanted to give it to him for years but didn't want him to feel I was giving him my cast-offs. So I'll let him choose it from the other works. I also have a large piece I think he'll want, but I don't have what it takes to pull it out and carry it for blocks up to his place. I'll put it in the living room and let him decide. I have more to go but there's a chance my brother threw it out. The container also had my college & grad degrees and I think he got rid of it. He seemed pretty nervous when I asked him about it yesterday. I don't have an office so I no longer have them hung up. I would really only want my grad school degree. The two college degrees don't mean as much to me, although they were hard-earned. | |
| Tillie | Posted: 05 February 2017 - 10:37 AM |
Good Morning Everybody 🙂 Hi Pain 🙂 Hi CriticalMass 🙂 There are times when having a storage unit is the way to go. | |
| CriticalMass | Posted: 04 February 2017 - 06:57 PM |
Well, an update already on my Big Storage Move. I freaked out because I checked my bank account. Should've done it yesterday (payday) after paying bills and buying gasoline. Did it today to see how much I'd have left after paying the mechanic when he brings my van back. About had a coronary - I have a church contribution auto withdrawal tomorrow and if I hadn't checked the bank, I would've written him the check and it would've gone through but the church withdrawal would've sent me into Overdraft Hell! EEK! So, drop back 20 yards and punt (how apropos to Super Bowl weekend *sardonic laugh*). Roomie will lend me money to cover, we'll sort it later. Another penny pinching month commences. Driving out to the storage to sort stuff won't be frequent, nor will groceries be plentiful. Anyway, to cut to the chase - I'm going to put it back a month. When March payday comes (and please, Lord, let me not have any more pending things like car repairs?) I'll pay another month on the current storage unit and commence the plan. Maybe it'll be better that way anyway, give me time to round up minions and possibly even start a GoFundMe. Pain, I would view this storage business differently save for the fact that I'm essentially homeless (on disability, fixed income) except that I rent this room from my friend. I haven't got money to even make a deposit on a place, and in the town where I live you can't get anything that's not scary ghetto for a single woman to live in for what I can afford to pay. Plus I have 2 pet rabbits that are my therapy animals; without them I would probably end up in the mental ward. Pet-friendly places are way harder to find not to mention the cost of pet deposits. So for now I have to stay put. There's not enough room here for me to store my stuff, I'm not going to throw out things like family memories and my good cookware and such just to eliminate the storage unit. I can get rid of papers and junk etc. but there is only so far I can downsize until I get a "home" of my own again. I long for that with so much of my being, especially after the foreclosure I went through in 2011. That still gives me nightmares. I think I have PTSD on top of my other mental crap. But I'm fighting back as best I can. *weak smile* At any rate, right now I'm just plain exhausted. Going to go rest awhile. Night all! I am more thankful for you people on this board than words can say. | |
| Pain | Posted: 04 February 2017 - 03:59 PM |
Can't remember who was saving power cords. The kind with the box on Them that is a power supply to devices. Most of them have serial number on them. CM I view my storage as temporary. I'm going to move in a few months. So I used the storage as way to get out ahead . But everything just kept going and going. | |
| CriticalMass | Posted: 04 February 2017 - 11:19 AM |
Breaking News - summarized version because I'm kind of overwhelmed and will need time to process. OK, 1st piece: My van is with the mechanic, getting fixed! Started yesterday, hopefully will be finished later today. Needed spark plugs too. There's always another thing. It's a 1987 model. What can I say. The cost will make it a tight month but I'm used to that. 2nd piece: Mechanic says I really need to not drive around with all the stuff in the back or I'll keep having to replace shock absorbers. He says he could just take my money and not say anything. But he cares. In short - IT'S TIME to deal with this. Kick into high gear like Pain is doing. I have the across town storage unit paid till March 20th. If I got one close by here after March 3rd payday, and got some minions lined up, I'd have that overlap period in March to get the job done. While I'm doing the logistics to acquire minions, I can be going out and getting as much trash out as quickly as possible. All other nonessentials suspended in my life. It won't be as bad as a move, though, because I won't have to decide what comes to the house - it's just from one storage to another storage. Boxes and tubs - fill them, let minions transport them. If time permits, label them with broad category labels. No time for OCD. Just get them where it doesn't look so bad for the minions to see and where they can just pick up, carry, transport, stack. Then when all is done, I will have new storage unit closer to home and can make frequent visits, until hoard is no longer a hoard but merely my organized stuff waiting for that happy day when I get a place of my own to live a much simpler life. Whew! All hands, BATTLE STATIONS!! RED ALERT!!! (I've been watching a lot of Star Trek lately) | |
| Tillie | Posted: 04 February 2017 - 10:08 AM |
Good Morning Everybody 🙂 Hi Tatoulia 🙂 Hi Anonymoniker 🙂 Hi CriticalMass 🙂 Hi Pain 🙂 Worry, stress and frustration from beating my head against a brick wall has worn me down physically. TTFN 🙂 | |
| Tatoulia | Posted: 04 February 2017 - 09:29 AM |
Sending you strength, patience & continued resolve, Pain. | |
| Pain | Posted: 04 February 2017 - 06:42 AM |
My shingles are giving e great agony today but it's nothing new. can't sleep. I floated the idea that her mother pay rent if she's going to stay ALL the time. they got mad a hell. thing is I overheard them talking . they think hear loss . but actual hear very well when I'm concentrating on listening. I heard mother in law say she could bring a bed from her house to ours. and that she be here whenever she's needed. I think I should do whatever best for my wife and daughter. but I am constant conflict with her. . I left the house to avoid talking about it. it's just the type of thing that make everyone upset with each other. they think just four people are coming to help get the storage tubs moved. when I came back . I sat the two of them down.told them I want them to go shopping while we're cleaning up. that my cousins are coming too. my cousins have tattoos and like to drink beer. I said I want mother in law to stay with us as much as she likes ,but like it if she went home Friday Saturday and Sunday. unless or until my wife turns for the worst. then stay as much as she wants. mother in law scoffed. I went back up to wife's room . earlier I got my brothers van and picked up the couch., got home and moved all the backroom tubs to the porch. finally at 9 they needed picked up from the mall. asked if they could have a sleep over. mother-in-law went upstairs to sleep in the drum room. and my wife said we need to talk. my wife said I told her about the really big couch. my wife threw some blankets on it and went to sleep it was after midnight. I like wife's plan better than mine because it keeps the huge dinning room table in the house. it's quieter in the back room too. I'm getting started on the trips to storage. my cousin is here . he's early and I'm feeling empowered. will check in later. | |
| Anonymoniker | Posted: 03 February 2017 - 07:54 PM |
Correction: independent, NOT i dependant.....wow?....interesting Freudien-typo....ha ha.....??? | |