Hey everyone!

Very full from a business dinner. Cannot wait to crawl into bed!

Furniture I'm getting rid of is a clutter magnet but no drawers for storag. Just always piled with stuff. I do want to get rid of--hopefully this summer.

So full right now. Will ttyl! Keep up the good work!

Good morning everyone!

Porter, thank you for sharing your story. I'm sorry that your daughter is going to lose her mother, but it sounds like you both have done an amazing job to create a supportive environment for her. It's good that she will have aunts that love her if there are things she wants to talk to a woman about.

You got rid of 110 bins? Wow!

Tatoulia, are the Christmas things in the current piece of furniture? I see the problem there.

Tillie, I hope the zombie apocalypse is over.

Hi Anony, did you finish your corner?

Yesterday turned out to be exhausting just getting through it. Fixed breakfasts, packed lunches, did basic chores and kept up with milk then off to school. (I teach part time - it's not a regular school, it's a support program for homeschoolers) the year is winding down and there are so many extra things that need to be done, plus yesterday had more than it's usual share of glitches.

Dropped recycling and trash, handed a cake pan off to my son in law, picked up a library book for dd, and went to the grocery store. The grocery store went really well in spite of my being exhausted. I did buy 4 bags of snacks in bags that will become garbage, but the bags are large enough that I can use them as trash bags instead of recyclable plastic grocery bags. And I remembered to ask for paper bags which the food bank needs.

Came home and pulled off dinner and evening chores, but my kitchen is a mess and I didn't touch papers or the guest room. I went to bed at 9:30 without setting my alarm, thinking that I would sleep until dh got up and do chores a little later today since I am home until 4. Woke up at 5:30 anyway, but feel more rested. A few more 8 hour nights would be good!

Today's music.

Riders on the storm.
I drove all night
Emotions
It's alright.
Hooked on a feelin

Something from the gaithers
I want to ride my bicycle.
Flight of the bumblebee
Lady in red
Ela Fitzgerald
Saturday in the park
Strut
Lola falana
Change , man in the mirror
Will you know my name
The belario
The dancing queen
Whip it!
I killed the sheriff
Muskrat love
Theme song from squad 51
Hello from the other side.
Us and them
Blade runner love scene.
Art school girlfriend
I want candy
Cannon ball
Forget paris

I remember something about living life without regretting your economies. I do not regret the decision to buy a large 60" tv for each bedroom , and 1 in the living room. I started a few years ago buying 1 a year. Donated all the tubes. My wife's eyes are failing her. But the screen is large and she says it's the one thing she sees well. Plus it acts like a night lite .
I imagine in the future we will get some vitamin D from them. And grow seedlings plants near them .

It's been in the mid 80s and the this house is usually within 4° of the outside temp. In summer.
All house GA e an issue or two. But I'll be glad to get out of this one.

Hi Anony
Hi CM
Hi TAT
Hi Tillie
Hi SubC

Yes my wife is terminally I'll.
Diagnosed 3 years ago with colon cancer.
She had it removed and chemo.
Last fall we had a terrible fight, I left and was told she had stage 4 liver cancer so I came back home. She had the lower half of her lived removed , but she is still jaundiced. Last month she was diagnosed with anger in the lining of intestines.
And that is very troubling, no doctor is will to operate or treatment being offered. She's in a great deal of pain. She's not ready to go to hospices. But will go to moms, instead where her step dad is a practicing RN.

She wanted to help me geyser up in my next place , to help our daughter get into the high school where most of her friends are going. It's an art charter school. The back up is she has two aunts that want her in their families. They couldn't be more different.
I've downgraded as much as I can to match my income to my housing and car expenses. Hopefully I'll be just fine while waiting to the $650 a month that social security will provide my for my daughter.
My plan was to find a transition home . Something that I afford alone while waiting for the benefit, but once the benefit comes , basically pays the rent.
I got lucky , in the amount of time we had to go d a place , I got one that accommodates all three of us. ,even more comfortably than the old house.

We've live with window air-conditioners for 18 years. Now moving to an air conditioned home.

And to address the hoarding issue.
Even though it has a large ,slightly damp basement.
For containing 90 tubs . I had over 200 tubs and various larger objects of clutter. It was all in piles.
After watching you tube about hoarding tips and decluttering videos .

I came away with the understand that I need to spend time with the hoard, in advance of a move.
I did this and got help from well wishers.
Those willing to help my wife. I organized a cleaning party , a Chili party the day before the super bowl . I had 3 teams AM , noon, PM
We went room by room , and cleared everything including carpet, we painted, replaced carpets, and moved furniture. I another team taking unsorted clutter I tubs to a second storage unit.

Over the next few months we sorted the clutter in the tubs , labeling ,photographing and creating usable friendly shelves.

I knew we would move at this time. End of May. At the completion of my daughter's 8th grade middle school. Her last day of school is the 25th our last day in home is the 24th.
But we had trouble with the home owner and the property manager both. And we're only given 20 day notice. We hoping to stay the summer. But now we're out.

Basically I had two weeks vacation coming from work. I have the option to cash it out.
So I cashed out 9 days which help me gain the security deposit. And luckily I get five checks in one month, so borrowed money from a relative for 1 month so I could pool more than enough to move.

My wife was struggling with utilities until I pointed out the amount that she is behind on the. winter natural gas bill will be the same as the deposit . So the remaining balance and deposit will cancel eachother.

We're , bundling the TV internet, and I'm forcing to eliminate smart phone.
Wife will go on her mother cell phone plan.

Daughter and I will go on home phone. And tablets.

Wife's disability is 2100 a month.
She's agreed to pay $500 a month once she goes to hospice care at her moms. That will be more than enough to get by on till the end.
She is reluctant to leave her daughter, and I'm OK with staying as long she wants. I was the main caregiver to my dad when he passed 20 years ago. I know what and how thing will go.

I was telling a friend at work about the situation.
And asked where he had been , I hadn't seen him for a few days. He said his wife died of heart attack. While we were working. And no o e knew how to reach him, he didn't get to say good bye.

So on one hand , my suffers , but on The othet she's had three years to help raise our daughter.
I'm not a doctor of course , so I don't know how much longer she has. But on the 24th of May.
We will be In High school phase. Which is what my wife has been getting up every morning for her daughter to go to a school of art.
Well done , my wife ,well done.

I've been working the other angle, and buying one instrument a year, for her to try and master. And for 3 years she's been in Glee.

Whatever lable we could put on our marriage.
We are basically just parents. And somewhat relateble to Tillie's arrangement of coexistence.
But she's helping me become stable from middle school to high school if she can. 1 week to go. And the ducks are in a row.

If that's not right Tillie then I apologize.

Hi everone!
There are loads of posts to catch up on! This board has gotten wonderfully active & mostly with stories of accomplishments!!! YEA!!!
I got a lot done yesterday & today id like to finish that kitchen corner...yes, the same one that spiders chased me from last summer!
Yall are complete over-achievers next to me! Im really bad about my cleaning speed, and decision making speed!
Tillie, i read your post about you & your partner & i hope that you can somehow create something new in your life? You have so much love in your heart to share & you are so deserving of love & you could create a beautiful home if allowed to....that is my reoccurring fantasy...a partner to help me! ~♡~

Good Morning 🙂

Great catching up with all your "going ons".
All day yesterday it was dark, cold and windy here.
So I played pretend make believe that it was the Zombie Apocalypse happening and the cats & I had to stay locked inside.
Worked good too even when a few cars went down the road, I just pretended that they didn't.
Rained here over night so I don't need to water anything for a few days.
Still very cold & windy today but at least the sun is shining.
😀

Good to catch up on everyone's progress. Porter you are much, much more of a planner than I am. By far. I can see how it helps you to put all the pieces of the puzzle together!

Keep up the good work, SubC! Very impressed with your progress. I am mulling over your suggestion of getting rid of the big piece of furniture before I get its replacement. I've been scouring the auctions and antiques store but I think you are on to something. I had so wanted a small chest of drawers, antique, which would give a home to my Christmas things. (That's another story but not worth re-telling). The only small things I find are tables, which wouldn't give me the storage I'd like. And I don't want anything modern or that would be used to make do in the meantime.

Yesterday I got home from work and my house was so cool. I'd gotten very warm on my walk home. And my bedroom, so clean and clear, was a pleasure to walk into. Just like the old days. So today I'm hoping to dust and vacuum it, so it stays in its pristine shape and so that I can hang onto that feeling.

Hi porter!

I didn't ignore you last night - we were writing our posts at the same time.

So you have not signed the lease on the new place yet? When do you plan to start moving? Do you know anyone who would like to come take (some of) the contents of your fridge/freezer so there is less to throw away?

When will you get to move to your new place?

Is your wife still able to help pay utilities? I came late to the party, so while I have gathered that she is terminally ill, I don't really understand what is happening with her or what kind of time you have left with her. I'm sorry.

I think it's fantastic that you have a plan to pay for your daughter's education! That is a huge gift. My daughter and son in law don't have any student debt, and it has made a huge difference in their lives vs the lives of their friends who are working now to pay off college. Dd got a good job and they were able to buy their first house at 24 and 25. (Son in law is an art teacher, which is a good job in other ways...)

Today I teach all day and I have to go to the grocery store.

I brought in 6 new pieces of paper today, so I need to get rid of seven. But I am worn out. I left the papers on the kitchen table - hopefully tomorrow I will deal with them and any new ones and purge two extra.

I took the pile to goodwill. It pretty much filled the back of my Ford Escape. Loosely though. I saved (besides the previous list) two books, a picture frame, a curtain rod I intend to reinstall after she moves out, and a bear. A big bear. I Just can't let the bear go.

While at goodwill I bought an two piece outfit. This is a good thing however. It is currently in the dryer. The top will go back to goodwill and the skirt will replace my current too long and a little too big red skirt - which will also go to goodwill. Plus a skirt that is so much too big I almost lost it last weekend, but I have accepted that I will not get around to taking it in, and it is one size past my "but I need something pretty to wear in my fat stage so I don't get depressed" size.

The guest room bed has a sweater drying rack (in use) and the bear on it. There are 4 piles on the floor that I think I can knock off at a one a day rate. I have 10 days before ds comes and have not addressed the dining porch.

Each day I postpone signing the lease I save $22.46 .
I have to prorate the following month.
So my expenses are application fee , first month , and matching deposit.
Truck rental + insurance.
Then 30 later the prorated rent for partial month.
Then on July 1st 1 full month.

The deal with my wife has always been I pay for rent, she pays for utilities. We pay for our own cars and gasoline.

So I'm just barely squeaking by.

The next house will be like this.

All electric.
Kitchen is on first level has portable dishwasher, and 6x3 butcher block table and 1 long wall of cabinets and drawers with counter/splashback. Double sink under windows and ceiling fan near sink. Large panty.

also on first floor, only bath , full bathroom...
1 bedroom, living room , dinning room. A medium porch with outside electrical outlet.

Basement , wide stairs , washer and dryer hook up,
Two room 6 foot height, IM 5'9. THE non laundry room for clutter in totes and is 12x15 1 extra electrical outlet for extra freezer. Heating and AC. Ceiling fans in every room.

The upstairs is 3 small rooms.
No hallway. Smallest room only big enough for an air matress.
Second largest room only big enough for a queen size bed. With TV mounted on wall.
Master bedroom will be used as common area ,
But will have a 60 inch TV , two drum sets electronic and percussion. A DJ table on an 8' counter with room for storage. And 1 large piece of sectional sofa to lounge on. So daughter and I will call it the lounge. Her belongings will kept in the lounge, her clothes In her bed room closet.

The outside is small. A small front yard and a small side yard. I have a lawnmower, and lawn equipment , not big enough for a large garden to many large trees to grow very much.

Live 2 miles from high school. 3 miles from major university.
20 miles from work.
Half mile from large market.
1 mile from large mall.
Ten minutes from Walmart.
3 minutes from hospitals
Half mile from public pool next to police station .
And half mile from 9 nation fast food chains.
Half mile from bad station.

As I'm gear up to be a uber driver. I live 1 mile from downtown bars. I feel I can supplement enough income to pay off the car in two years. But more importantly, separate my vehicle expenses from my full time job Income.

I'm trying set up so that I can pay all bills by myself. And when my wife passes, I'll not have need for roommates. But until social Security benefits apply to my daughter for the death of one of her parents. I'll be self sufficient, and will simply apply the social security towards her education fund. As well as a rainy day account, with heavy insurances.

I'm downgrading her smart phone to a non data plan phone. Forcing her to use broadband Wi-Fi.
And DD and I don't watch enough TV to need to pay for it. As long as we have Netflix and internet vids. There's plenty of free local TV and radio also. So my housing expenses are 1/2 my income.
And my car half of what's left. Leaves me $200 of disposable income.
If I drive for uber I'll be able to bump up to $1,000 a month.

But I also have 7% gross deducted into 401k and my employer matches 3% so it equals about $2000 a year. I have the 401K set up for education benefits. I estimate if I keep working for eight years it will be enough to pay for most of her education . And the what I dont pay for , she'll get from her mothers insurance.

I'm also looking for the goal to buy out the house I'm renting In Four years. And pay it off in 5 years. So it can be cheap housing for my daughter.
I sell it only to her for what I paid for it. After she graduates and after her education is paid in full.

Then if I'm still able I'll buy the the boat I want to live out the rest of days.

Big enough to charter , so I can help DD pay off any loan she may have on the house.
She can also rent it out. To help pay it off.

Well that's my plan. It's not the a perfect or wealthy plan. But if it's a 4 bedroom house that isn't filled with clutter it will feel like a castle to me.

Quick drive by before work.

Great job SubC/-I'll write more later! Keep up the good work. Remember to drink water, eat right and take breaks. It's hard yet you are strong!

Microwave is a hazard I'm afraid--I've had it for 25 years and it was used when I got it (yikes). There are people who come around looking for scrap metal and I'm sure this will get picked up. It is not like me to throw away something useable but this is really terrible. If no one picks it up for scrap, and the city picks up, then the city has a robust recycle program and it will go there.

Will write more later!

I am also sorry for the double posts.

I am on safari. But I think sometimes I just double tap by mistake. My hands are not always steady.

Tatoulia,

Is the microwave broken? Is there somewhere you could donate it where you could just drop it off when it works for you?

Good job on your dishes, laundry, and papers.

CM, are you moving homes, or just your storage unit? It sounds like you are making steady progress. I hope the weather cooperates. A clutter club sounds like a good thing.

Tillie, I'm glad you got a chance to get out in your garden. It sounds nice.

Porter, is the big move this week then? Exciting! Sounds like a good time with your daughter too.

I started listing and bagging up yesterday and got worn out - colors, textures, memories.... Do far I "rescued" a sweater, a shoebox full of small toys, and a little (coffee cup sized) bear from my Dd's pile. As a percentage, that is really good. I am letting some hard things go. Toys I made for her when she was little, souveniers from activities we did together or milestones in her life (the keychain her dad bought her on their trip to NY!), she threw away a bag of photos and I didn't even look at them!

I really need to finish bagging and take that stuff today! Dh and I had a fight last night (technically about an upcoming visit to his family, but it root because he came home and I was wiped out and hadn't made dinner) so I am exhausted and everything is harder. When things are not good with him, everything in my life is off. He's my center.

I am continuing to purge more paper than comes in and keeping the kitchen under control. The kitchen is harder than it should be and I am sick of it already, which is another thing that contributed to not making dinner.

I also really wanted to have lunch with a friend today and when I called him, he was busy. Phone calls are hard for me except to my mom and kids. And then the vision of my day collapsed because I was mentally planning it around lunch.

A good thing that happened yesterday - when I was at the food bank I talked to the gardener, and she says I can bring some of my non-recyclable plastic containers for clients to take home strawberries, and also, she knows a guy who can use almost all the other ones for his summer stand! Next week I am going to empty a whole laundry basket from my basement!

I have to go into work to take care of some things (unpaid 🙁 ) today, so I will drop more recycling. I only have five more days of easy recycling drop. After next week I will have to figure out what to do over the summer.

Day is over. I've gotten my trash out and I've shredded some papers. All laundry done & put away. I'm trying. Dishes done too/-dishwasher is running. Kitty has fresh place mat and fresh everything.

I'd like to force myself to get rid of microwave soon. According to trash rules, I can put it out as regular trash. I'm not sure how heavy it is. Maybe I'll be brave and take care of Thursday. I do have a dinner party that night and not sure how late I'll be. I'll make it my goal to get rid of by end of month.

I am desperate to get rid of more. I want more space.

Porter
😀

(((HUGS)))

Forgotten how much I like to clean and do chores while listening to
Hooked on classics

Heard one of those songs that trigger memories ling forgotten. Flooded with memories of the best and worst times of my life. I was moved to tears in front of my daughter. I said this is one of those days I'll remember forever, and not because I'm sad.
I love you.

If I could make a wish, I think I'd pass
Can't think of anything I need

No cigarettes, no sleep, no light, no sound
Nothing to eat, no books to read

Making love with you
Has left me peaceful warm and tired
What more could I ask
There's nothing left to be desired

Peace came upon me and it leaves me weak
So sleep, silent angel, go to sleep

Sometimes, all I need is the air that I breathe and to love you
All I need is the air that I breathe, yes, to love you
All I need is the air that I breathe

Peace came upon me and it leaves me weak
So sleep, silent angel, go to sleep

Sometimes, all I need is the air that I breathe and to love you
All I need is the air that I breathe, yes, to love you
All I need is the air that I breathe

Sometimes, all I need is the air that I breathe and to love you
All I need is the air that I breathe, yes, to love you
All I need is the air that I breathe and to love you
All I need is the air that I breathe, yes, to love you

It's 82° and sunny.
The house is hot and hard walk though as so much has been moved Into place. .

We. An sing the lease tomorrow, but that means we're the new house will not be fixed of minor repairs until after we've moved in.

But at least we're on path for keys to the new place sooner than later or at the last minute.
I hadn't borrow money for family that owe me money.
A story for another day.

Today my daughter and I are on the very long sectional, listening to music eating pizza rolls.
We take turns casting videos tithe TV.
She's a rocker. Im head banger, but I'm almost 49.
So I have heard so many great songs , and try to expose her to music cultures of the past while we're in transition.
Knights in white saying
Riders on the storm
Wish you were here
Children of the sun
Aquarius
Radar love
Billy squire
Sail away
No one compares to you
I drove all night
One step beyond
Dream lover
David Bowie major Tom
On my lust today as my daughter gently sleeps.

Wife is having a struggle day. But we're tending to her needs , and I'm just keeping calm and playing on.

Good Morning Everyone 🙂

Hi CriticalMass 🙂
WAY TO GO!!! You are doing a GREAT job. 😀
Setting aside that hard to sort box was the best thing to do.
Don't want one thing to stop your progress when you have other things that aren't as hard. (((hug)))
I have been having no posting issues using Internet explorer.

Yesterday the cold breeze died down and it was lovely and warm outside for two hours.
The cats and I spent those hours thinning and weeding out my garden. 😀
Saturday it snowed in Carson City and there is more snow expected over the next several days.
Too cold & windy to play outside today.

Great work, CM! I'm sorry the weather isn't cooperating but you are forging ahead! WTG! You are doing it and will do it.

I'm working in getting my house cleaner before summer. The heat and humidity make me hate the mess. Can I avoid the self-loathing this year? I think I can!!!

SORRY FOR THE TRIPLE POST!! Don't know what was going on - might be my browser but I checked a bunch of settings and couldn't find a solution. I've got Chrome; next time I'll try using it instead of Firefox and see if that works better.

Note: I've been having trouble posting since I updated my Firefox browser - unless it's not that. Has anyone else had difficulty the last week or so?

Semi-quick update on me, but I want to go back and read everyone's posts.

I've been going out to the storage unit and working on the sunny days. And guess what - we have more rain days predicted this week! Tomorrow night severe storms predicted. Pray that they aren't bad.

I always worry about my van getting hail (or blown away in a tornado). It's so old I only carry liability on it...I'd be up a creek without it. I'm phobic of public transportation (and our system's not that good) and also of walking or biking out of sight of my own street. I feel that need of a protective "shell" that my vehicle provides. And as a woman I've had too many creepy encounters in certain parts of this town to feel safe from crime on bike or foot, either, even if the phobia didn't already preclude those options.

The van also currently houses those of my possessions that can't fit in the house but that I need close by. Including only copies of writing manuscripts I need to scan into the computer, my good doll clothes/quilting fabrics, and misc. When I move to the closer storage unit, those will go there, and my van will be open and roomy again. But a lot needs to happen for the move to take place.

Along that line, as I said, I've been going out to the current unit. It keeps me busy and that's why I haven't posted here. Each day I intend to. Other things in life also - Mother's Day get together, pet sitting so my roommate could travel to see her mother, etc. Busy, tiring days.

That one day last week - Thursday or Friday maybe, I lose track - I did really well with a couple boxes of papers but then discovered about six hidden ones. Then Friday and/or Saturday, tackling those, good progress. Yesterday I'd have taken a day off but then I saw the weather forecast so decided to go while I could. But I had one large box of very assorted stuff and it was really jumbled and a b**** to deal with. I only got through about 1/3 of it. If I find it's driving me nuts, I may just repack it into one smaller box and go ahead and let it be moved to the new unit. Maybe letting it sit just a short while longer I can come at it fresh and do better. I don't want to get bogged down.

There remain a few more goals I'd like to make progress on before the move. I want to go through the ceramic bunny collection - my largest collection. I think I can pare it down, and pack the keepers in small boxes instead of one ungainly large box. Some artwork I haven't gone through - maybe some of those old canvases can just go bye-bye, unless I want to reuse them. Just get a general idea what's in that corner where they are.

Stuffed animals - if I can bear to part with any of them before the move, that'd be great. Greeting cards - I shudder to think, but if I could corral them together at least. All of the above are, of course, the things I'll be dealing with in more depth from the new unit.

And a few small clusters of loose stuff here and there that need to be bagged and just thrown into tubs for transport; they can be integrated into their proper places in the new unit.

In the paper sorting I have been doing the last few days, I've run across some of the more emotionally charged stuff - things that remind me of my late parents, of guys I went out with, of my breakdown that led to dropping out of grad school. But I think I'm stronger, thanks be to God, and I can look at that stuff and yeah, it tugs my heartstrings but I have hope for the future now, which is a powerful weapon against the way such things used to drag me down.

It's still a lot of work getting to where I want to get, though - so wish me luck! 😉 With all the rain delays, and the heat of summer rapidly approaching, I'm not sure if I'll meet the goal of making the transfer to the other unit before it gets beastly hot. Or being tempted to wait until fall. I defer that decision till I get through some of the stuff described above. It may be that when I feel ready to move I'll be like, damn the heat, full speed ahead. We have our clutter club this week and I'll see my social worker there; I'll give her an update, and maybe she can see it from an objective perspective. I know right now I feel too close to the whole thing to think very clearly.

Note: I've been having trouble posting since I updated my Firefox browser - unless it's not that. Has anyone else had difficulty the last week or so?

Semi-quick update on me, but I want to go back and read everyone's posts.

I've been going out to the storage unit and working on the sunny days. And guess what - we have more rain days predicted this week! Tomorrow night severe storms predicted. Pray that they aren't bad.

I always worry about my van getting hail (or blown away in a tornado). It's so old I only carry liability on it...I'd be up a creek without it. I'm phobic of public transportation (and our system's not that good) and also of walking or biking out of sight of my own street. I feel that need of a protective "shell" that my vehicle provides. And as a woman I've had too many creepy encounters in certain parts of this town to feel safe from crime on bike or foot, either, even if the phobia didn't already preclude those options.

The van also currently houses those of my possessions that can't fit in the house but that I need close by. Including only copies of writing manuscripts I need to scan into the computer, my good doll clothes/quilting fabrics, and misc. When I move to the closer storage unit, those will go there, and my van will be open and roomy again. But a lot needs to happen for the move to take place.

Along that line, as I said, I've been going out to the current unit. It keeps me busy and that's why I haven't posted here. Each day I intend to. Other things in life also - Mother's Day get together, pet sitting so my roommate could travel to see her mother, etc. Busy, tiring days.

That one day last week - Thursday or Friday maybe, I lose track - I did really well with a couple boxes of papers but then discovered about six hidden ones. Then Friday and/or Saturday, tackling those, good progress. Yesterday I'd have taken a day off but then I saw the weather forecast so decided to go while I could. But I had one large box of very assorted stuff and it was really jumbled and a b**** to deal with. I only got through about 1/3 of it. If I find it's driving me nuts, I may just repack it into one smaller box and go ahead and let it be moved to the new unit. Maybe letting it sit just a short while longer I can come at it fresh and do better. I don't want to get bogged down.

There remain a few more goals I'd like to make progress on before the move. I want to go through the ceramic bunny collection - my largest collection. I think I can pare it down, and pack the keepers in small boxes instead of one ungainly large box. Some artwork I haven't gone through - maybe some of those old canvases can just go bye-bye, unless I want to reuse them. Just get a general idea what's in that corner where they are.

Stuffed animals - if I can bear to part with any of them before the move, that'd be great. Greeting cards - I shudder to think, but if I could corral them together at least. All of the above are, of course, the things I'll be dealing with in more depth from the new unit.

And a few small clusters of loose stuff here and there that need to be bagged and just thrown into tubs for transport; they can be integrated into their proper places in the new unit.

In the paper sorting I have been doing the last few days, I've run across some of the more emotionally charged stuff - things that remind me of my late parents, of guys I went out with, of my breakdown that led to dropping out of grad school. But I think I'm stronger, thanks be to God, and I can look at that stuff and yeah, it tugs my heartstrings but I have hope for the future now, which is a powerful weapon against the way such things used to drag me down.

It's still a lot of work getting to where I want to get, though - so wish me luck! 😉 With all the rain delays, and the heat of summer rapidly approaching, I'm not sure if I'll meet the goal of making the transfer to the other unit before it gets beastly hot. Or being tempted to wait until fall. I defer that decision till I get through some of the stuff described above. It may be that when I feel ready to move I'll be like, damn the heat, full speed ahead. We have our clutter club this week and I'll see my social worker there; I'll give her an update, and maybe she can see it from an objective perspective. I know right now I feel too close to the whole thing to think very clearly.

Thank you for the lovely story, SubC. I enjoyed it immensely. All of it.

I think I will get rid of microwave this week. It is time. And I'll see what happens to the stuff on top. Maybe 20% could move out?!?

After that, I'll take a deep breath and see about that piece of furniture.

I'll check the trash rules on microwaves now.

Tatoulia, it sounds like you hoard the way my grandmother did. She had a huge, beautiful house, and it was full! Everything in it was nice and clean and orderly, and she knew exactly where everything was. Near the end we had to move newspapers, magazines, and catalogues off of chairs and tables when we visited, but she always let the cleaning lady throw them out now and then, so it never got to be a huge problem.

When she died it took a year to empty the house. First, my mom and uncle and aunt took the things they wanted. Then the grandkids came and took the things they wanted. Then the great grandkids. 14 people (and spouses). My cousin filled a uhaul van twice. I filled a pod. My mom redid her entire dining room.

two antique dealers came through the house - one who specialized in toys and one general. The toy guy came back 4 times because we kept finding stuff he thought sounded interesting.

Things were donated and sent off to distant relatives and old friends. Then there was a two day estate auction. At the end of the auction, the auctioneer left with a truck load of items to sell at other auctions he holds regularly with specialized themes.

Then began the sorting of "where can we donate this, might as well keep this, I guess this is trash."
We did put her sofa at the curb. Someone took it within hours.

When "normal" people hear the story, they say how awful, and they never want to burden their children like that. But my mom said it was a gift. She and my grandmother were incredibly close and she feels like having that year when she got to keep going to gram's house and be surrounded by her things and so many memories helped her work through her grief. The actually work kept her busy and the letting go was slow and tangible. She thinks if the estate had been settled and disposed of quickly she would have collapsed.

Anyway, about your microwave and piece of furniture - can you simply remove the microwave and put the items directly on the surface below it? Do you need the piece of furniture because it is serving a purpose? How do you feel about living with the empty space for a while?

Great progress SubC!

My friend is an artist and designer who lives overseas. She has decorated many homes in Europe & the Mediterranean. She saw my house two years ago. I have a lot of stuff but each room is usable and passable. A lot of things stuffed into closets and hidden under the bed. Just a lot. Lots. Every cupboard filled, pretty much every surface piled. (Not as true as it once was but still pretty accurate). I still want to let go of more--Tillie always reminds us that space is important--it's an object in its own right. My friend was here after I did the major clean out, which included getting rid of every thing in a giant off-site storage space. My friend owns a lot of things, as she has more than one home.

I have very high ceilings and beautiful antique columns in my home. They caught her eye. She and I antique when she is in the states, and it was this recent trip when she offered to do my place. I have no doubt that it will be beautiful. Although she knows I have too many things, she doesn't see it as hoarding the way I do. So it's not exactly a reward-although I will reap the benefits, it is more of her desire to tackle a new place. I'm sure after she's done with mine she will try to get my BF to agree to have her arrange and do his place. He has beautiful art and antiques. She was instrumental in his acquisition of a stunning antique desk, and she really inspired him to start going to auctions and antique stores.

I am using this as a chance to continue in my quest to get rid of stuff. I find it very distracting and upsetting to have so much stuff. I want cleaner surfaces and not so much stuff to deal with. I will do what I can to move toward a 20% reduction. I want space. I want open space.

I have one piece of furniture that I am looking forward to consigning. It is too large and tends to gather clutter. I am hoping that I can find its replacement before I let it go (I know exactly what I want) but sometimes I wonder if I should just get rid of it first. My consignment shop said they'd love to have it.

I need to get rid of my microwave in the kitchen. I don't know what's stopping me. I just don't want it anymore. It takes up too much room. I want the space. But I have a million objects on top of it. (Formerly a million and a half, so I claim progress). Little tiny things from my childhood like little figurines and an old Mrs Butterworth syrup jar. But all the old tiny glass jars and beads and glass this and that have been removed and donated.

See how awful this is for me? Just terrible. I used to have probably seven different comforter/bedspreads which I changed frequently. I've eliminated those. I've gotten my towels under control. I'm a giant work in progress.

And so the struggle continues.

Hi tatoulia,

Happy Mother's Day back and to all. My oldest called me today and wished me a "happy mothers against war day" because she knows I am anti Hallmark holiday. She donated diapers to a mom in need in my name.

I'm doing laundry too. I'm starting to get a picture of what you are doing with your space and it sounds exciting. Is the redecorating a reward for clearing out?

I'm glad you have help with your mom. We kept my grandmother in her home until we lost her at almost 101, and her cleaning lady was essential!

Good luck on your reduction plan!

Tillie, did you get out in your garden? I did. I pulled weeds and picked a baby greens salad. Your home sounds better than I was imagining. I was afraid he had hoarded you into one small room.

Maybe in my family we should call today "mothers against hoarding day" because when I called my mom, she was working on her stuff. She has big plans for when I go to visit in July, but I know we will only do a tiny part.

But my dd attacked her room! Dh would say she hardly did anything, but I think it looks really good. It's very close to "clean" (there are two small bins of stuff on the floor that simply have nowhere to go and her desk is not really usable.) she purged clothes and 5 pairs of shoes, toys (I have to confess that I will probably rescue a few of the toys for my grandchildren bin), books, and decorative stuff.

I worked a little bit in the guest room. It is still hoarded, but, I cleared off the bed and then put my goodwill stuff on it for dd to add to. So, tomorrow I make a list for taxes and Tuesday I go to goodwill, and hopefully the bed will be cleared off. Ds called today too and I am looking forward to seeing him!

Checking in.

Doing laundry. Dishwasher has been run and I've emptied it. Doing some work so I can get a jump on tomorrow.

Had a great visit with mom today. Really nice time just hanging around. I puttered. I am keeping up with her household chores. She had someone doing her personal laundry now and someone to change her sheets. Lifts a bit of pressure off of me.

I'm going to keep working and doing laundry; haven't changed my sheets yet.

Hope you are all good. SubC, I enjoyed reading about the state of your rooms. You are doing a good job! Joan glad to hear from you again!

Hope everyone continues to move forward. I have to work on my 20% reduction plan! I have a large bag of clothes ready to go to a clothing consignment. I only chose things that are new, with tags, that I wish I'd never bought. All other clothes go to goodwill.

My interior designer will help me with my artwork. She will see which pieces will work and which pieces I can consider consigning. I have to tell myself it's okay for my tastes to change. She will work with everything I already have and other than drapes, chandelier, painting, wallpapering, will not be looking for me to buy new things. She expects to be back in US in the fall. Fingers crossed. In the meantime, I must edit, edit, edit.

Good Morning Everybody 🙂

Hi Tatoulia 🙂
Thank you ((((HUGS))))
Have a pleasant day with your Mom 😀

Hi Anonymoniker 🙂
Hi CriticalMass 🙂

Thinking later today it might be nice enough to spend time in the garden.
The cat mint (catnip) is taking over and needs to be thinned down.
All the cats howl and fuss when I start pulling out their mint but it needs to be done.
Right now it's 55 degrees and a brisk breeze is blowing.
This morning I will just wander around in the house and think about all the chores I could be doing but I'm not.
I don't wanna and nobody can make me. 😀

Everybody, have a GREAT Sunday 🙂