I challenged myself this afternoon & "pushed through" my resistance... I'm really tired, but I'm really proud of myself.

Here's what I accomplished between 5-8pm EST

#1. Weeded front yard 1 hr (which actually re-energized, motivated me to get back into kitchen work)

#2. Scrubbed 2 years' worth of caked-on soap+dirt scum from bathtub - using baking soda & white vinegar. The tub drain had been partially clogged that whole time - I had tried intermittently throughout that time to unclog it using the baking soda/vinegar combo, plunger, etc. - all to no avail. I finally got it unclogged using this stuff May 10th -- but the remaining layer of soap scum & grime was disgusting!

#3. Took the first quick-draining shower in a really clean tub -- felt so good, especially after today's weeding 😉 Hard to believe: tub actually looks clean enough to take a bath in now!

#4. I worked in kitchen for 35 minutes tonight -- getting rid of outdated food/condiments, old empty jars, scrubbing things that needed de-gunking, and completely clearing & scrubbing down the counter to the right of the kitchen sink!!! Now I have 4 surfaces that are cleared & clean -- only 2 surfaces left to go in kitchen (1 counter & 1 storage shelf for mixer/pots)... plus the floor & scrubbing inside of fridge/freezer.

Tomorrow, I may only do 20 minutes, but I'll make sure I do the work in the kitchen.

Forgot to mention that yesterday I also spent a little time clearing entryway -- Still need to go through 3 rubber bins in that area, but it's easier getting in & out front door now.

Not up for the CBT exercises tonight -- too tired & have to be up early to (hopefully) add more to garbage pick-up in a.m.

This is really hard work, but I want to get it done & live a stronger, better life.

Feeling a bit "fragmented" today...

While away, I continued to read Buried in Treasures & work on the exercises.

#1. I'm struggling a bit with the fact that it suggests long-term success is achieved by picking (& sticking to) a set time of day & amount of time for daily de-hoarding work. For the moment -- I think I need to just focus on using my timer & achieving my daily time input goals -- thinking about the other is stressing me out.

#2. I am also struggling a bit with trying to organize myself (lol - sad but true 😉 to best assess my goals/progress.

For example -- I find it extremely challenging to start in one room & continue working my way through that one room in regular daily timed chunks until that one room is cleared & cleaned with all items assigned their own place (with all items not belonging "dealt with" vs. avoiding decision-making by moving the stuff into a different room 😉

2 Sundays ago I picked the kitchen as my "priority room" & last week - I cleared off & scrubbed clean the stove top (inside oven already clear+clean), the butcher block prep station/counter top beside stove, & before leaving last Friday morning I threw out all the nasty outdated food inside my fridge & had that out to the curb & hauled off by the garbage truck. Now all of that felt REALLY good! (Although, I still need to scrub clean the inside of the fridge, it was wonderful to come home to a functional interior fridge.)

I got home late Monday, but still managed to haul my suitcase upstairs & immediately tranferred dirty clothes to hamper -- never used to do that! -- but have yet to DO the LAUNDRY...
Also, unpacked & put away in kitchen cabinets the remaining cracker packs & almonds I'd taken on trip for snacks.

I also immediately went through the mail that'd arrived & recycled all junk mail on the spot.

So, I can see definite positive shifts in my former less functional behaviour patterns -- guess I just wish it were faster-?- easier-?- smoother-?- I'm not sure.

#3. I'm still trying to work on balancing daily time input & consistent energy. I wanted to set my daily de-hoard goal this week to 20 min/day (up from 15min/day goal of last week). Since I was away Sunday & Monday -- I put in 60min yesterday (Tues, 6/4).

Yesterday, I continued my work in the kitchen -- FINALLY clearing the last 1/4 of the sink of a foul & stinky pile of used dishes. Got everything de-grimed, washed, dried, & put away. Scrubbed sink clean. Maintained the cleanliness of the stove top & butcher block countertop. Then continued to work on clearing the counter space to the right of the kitchen sink (only have 1/4 left to clear on it today -- Wed).

But, I didn't sleep well last night -- and a bit frustrated & down today. Wanted to get out in the beautiful weather to play in the dirt (aka: weeding 🙂 but felt like I "shouldn't let myself" until AFTER working in kitchen 20min. However, I only did a little in the kitchen of emptying, rinsing, & recycling old glass jars & bottles -- & I did this without putting on timer... I have no idea how long I spent doing that.

I've probably spent an hour reading through & writing this post on the Message Boards -- which certainly doesn't count as time de-hoarding. But I do view as an important motivational & self-reflective re-patterning tool.

I guess I'm fearful of not "putting in" enough time each day because I don't want to become stagnant in this battle again; I also don't want to sabatoge my progress thus far &/or "cheat" myself.

I know I must be brain-tired when I'm having trouble with deciding whether or not to recycle 3 old empty food jars, ya know?!?

Anyway -- thanks to all you who read these posts.

I think I'm going to give myself a 10-minute brain-clearing break to weed outdoors. Then come back inside to do a 10-minute timed Kitchen Clear. (usually once I start, I don't mind continuing -- so maybe I can just knock out today's 20min. in 1 shot (I hope so!)

Then, I need to make myself review & write out 2 of the Cognitive Behavioral exercises from "BinT" book.

I hope I sleep better tonight, hop up & just get my 20 minutes out of the way first thing tomorrow!

I feel like I need to continue my work & progress in the kitchen, in part because I feel the inner resistance to keep going with it. I keep picking up little things from other rooms to recycle or throw out instead of doing my "goal." Although, I can tell myself any progress is helpful -- I think I need to "push" back on not-so-helpful thoughts --pushing" myself past the lethargy, resistance, frustration & emotional discomfort -- in order to do what I have trouble doing: sticking with one room until it is done. Once the kitchen is done, it will be much easier to maintain (like my bedroom) & then I can celebrate a sense of accomplishment -- having reclaimed open functional space of another room. I must. I need to do this to improve my daily functioning,my sense of self, & my life.

Thanks for reading -- this is my "Hard Stuff" for today.

Hi All,
I'm glad that those who found this site and are not afraid of it.

My mother(hoarder) is terrified of this site.
She likes her stuff more than she loves me.

My mother will never be on this site.

I am really glad for those and all who come to this site to seek guidence and blurt out all your fears.
Goal setting is a wonderful thing! Making room for something better (space) is awesome!

I still have to take it easy on my ankle since I didn't get an x-ray when I first went to the doc. Tomorrow with the follow-up with the doc I'll ask for an x-ray to see if anything was broke in my ankle. My knee is doing much better though.
I'm worried now if I get that call for the interview for the cleaning company. The 1 1/2 hour drive really took a toll on my ankle since it's the ankle affected.

Hope all is doing great and keep up the great work!

Don't keep putting things off, do them today!

I confess. I've been avoiding everything by playing a game on the pc, surfing the net. Hibernating. Procrastinating. Avoiding. All that *(&^^

Roxie -- Yes, I was & thanks for remembering & asking after me 🙂 I just got back & will DEFINITELY catch up on reading board posts & write more tomorrow -- I really missed you all & was really EXCITED about tuning back in here. I can relate to having depression triggered when weather is dark & rainy for more than 2 days -- Hang in there. How did the rest of your day go today (Tues, June 4th)?

I finally just now realized that all the days of dark and rainy had kicked up my SAD and THAT is why I'm so sluggish lately. Good realization for me. Now let me just kick my butt...

I still have shelves of books to look through before donating. I'm finding that I am rereading some before donating, which is okay by me. It also gives me a chance to dust or wipe down and do the sniff test for traces of cat, if ya know what I mean.

Dianne, how is the sorting going for you?

AnneW, I'm trying to remember if you were going out of town. I look forward to you here.

Anne W, glad I could help even a little. It's a mutual give and take here, I think. I have CFS and learning when to quit is still extremely difficult for me. As is learning when to start.

Diane, how is the clothes elimination process going?

Roxie -- I really appreciate your post to me 🙂 Thank you so much for your wisdom, your encouragement, & your support!!! It helped a lot b/c I read it midday here when I was feeling wiped out -- your words helped me connect with the importance of not "overdoing"/"underdoing" but moving towards incrementally steadier "doing" when it comes to conquering my chaotic clutter.
How did your day go?
I hope you are feeling a bit better --a little less foggy-- & that you also got some rest:D

AnneW, that was a BIG push for you or for any of us. Remember Cory's advice not to work to exhaustion. Just keep stepping ahead with chores in whatever increments of time you can truly manage, and we'll all cheer you on. Congrats!

Thank you soooo much, Dianne!!! Coming home & receiving your positive message post gave me a HUGE GRIN! 😀 Thanks for the positive reinforcement -- it really makes a difference 🙂

Can't wait to read your next posts on YOUR progress!!!

Hope everyone else is doing well today/tonight:)

Anne W you hit your goal 10 x more than you planned! 2 1/2 hours is a big block of time. Congrats on a great job!! 🙂

Hi Everyone -- I'm Not able to log-on for Support Group tonight (Tues) -- I have a meditation group...
However wanted to share my accomplishments:

Today I worked 2+1/2 Hours (vs. the 15 minutes I'd committed to do per Sun.'s Support Group)& BOY! am I tuckered out!!! (AND proud of myself 😉
I worked in Kitchen & cleared, then cleaned the butcher block "counter"/food prep statioin next to the stove (having cleaned stove ystrdy *big grin*), halfway cleared a 2nd counter, made progress on clearing the transition area btwn dining rm & kitchen. All in all, gathered 3 bags of cardboard/paper recyle, 1 bin of glass/plastic recycle, & 2 large black garbage bags worth of no-need items -- all to be set out & picked up at end of week!
It got tough for me at points today, but I played music I like throughout, continually reminded myself that I need to go through this process in order to improve my life & --like working out to get fit/healthier-- I need to regularly practice & "strengthen" my skills in this arena, & I knew when I finished for today that I'd be able to share my struggles & triumphs with you folks and I'd feel understood 🙂

Ah Roxie the nest is exactly what Laura and I do.

Eventually those will get cleared and I will need to enjoy other ways of distressing, feeling safe, enjoying.

I am counting on these boards every day, I find, so please, all, keep posting. It helps me.

Diane, are you struggling (as I do) with the concept that there actually is "a place where things are supposed to go?" I have tended in the past few years to keep things most used right around me, creating a sort of nest. Well, for me that's hoarding behavior. And I have to think my way into actually putting things away, like new groceries or tools I might use. Grrr.

Thanks Anne for the nice comments. happy to see you are writing on message boards, it is such a help to hear how we all are doing

HI, Diane -- I just posted a reply to your post under "What I'm doing today." LoL - I'm still learning my way around.

Bottom Line: I'm really impressed with the way you chose to stick with moving through things, in spite of the tough parts of today!

Keep in mind that even when you feel like you're going really slowly with things -- Slow is still a "Go!" (and that means forward movement:).

Don't give up on yourself -- your postings are helping others(like me:) and -- You Are Making Progress! Great Job!

You are welcome Anne. Sounds like you are staying positive and making progress today, good to hear what your plans are.
Today I thought I would finish bathroom, which was possible but i was very slow, then found all kinds of stuff behind the door I had to deal with, after several hours, I just couldn't do it anymore. very difficult to complete tasks, the last things to be done are the most difficult for me. Did throw out more and put stuff back in cabinet. Will leave stuff off counter so can clean it easily in the future.

Diane & Tillie ~
Thank you so much for your welcoming & encouraging replies! You both give me inspiration & hope to keep going:)

This morning I managed to get up early enough to gather together a bagfull of paper/cardboard recycling for today's a.m. pick-up & do a quick dump of 2 grossly overdue-for-the-garbage food bowls & skillet with no longer identifiable "fuzzy" contents into my weekly garbage bin & to the curb. I scrubbed the skillet & bowls clean -- so that feels much better!-- but, I still have to finish cleaning dirty dishes in the last quarter of the kitchen sink & throwing out a fridge full of out-of-date items.
(I think I'll tackle the dishes this evening & go for clearing out one refrigerator shelf tomorrow a.m. We'll see how that goes;)

Here's to "Reclaiming" Space! ...one baby step at a time 😉

HI Anne 🙂

Fantastic that you have a year of not excessive acquiring!
WAY TO GO! and congratulations! 😀

Anne, so happy you are feeling positive about what you are doing, and knowing you are making progress, and that you will find the support you need to keep going from other hoarders, who totally get what you are going through. Keep up the good work and posts.

Hello Wonderful Women (per recent postings here 🙂 -- I wanted to thank you all for your posts, which "hit home" for me, & it makes me feel better knowing this kind of online tool/ vehicle/community is available! I only discovered the site 2wks ago, was away on travel, now back learning my way around the site.

I've been struggling with this for about 20 years. The good news is that I overcame my battle re: excessive accumulation about a year ago. (I still have to remain vigilant, but it's sooo much easier than ever before!) The rest of the news is that I'm now trying to get active with releasing all of my chaotic past clutter to reclaim my space while simultaneously trying to organize my current day-to-day life. I find it pretty tricky. I feel like I can do either/or, but switching gears between the two within the same day takes more skill (or perserverance-?-) than I seem capable of at this time.

I've got a loooong ways to go, but it feels a little less overwhelming to put up here. Thanks!

Way to go Roxie!

Every little bit helps. If you haven't worn something in a year or two, then pitch it. More than likely you won't wear it again and it will do good for someone else. 🙂

Step by step it will all get done. No one is racing but bragging rights will all be earned to who did what and the feeling of satisfactory and victory and the joy of accomplishment will all be worth it.

You will see that less is really more in time.

I found that I had quite a few "go to church" dresses here, and I don't go to church. So they are off to my friend whose church has a "closet" so their members can go there to get "new" things dirt cheap to wear (or free). At least someone can get some use out of them. I wear a dress maybe once every few years. And I don't even like "church dresses," preferring funky things.

When he was here, my hoarding cleanup guy made a stab at my purses. I took the purse from his hand and said "never get between a woman and her purses (or shoes)." LOL Anyway, I have maybe 6 (no I don't use but one) vintage designer purses like Coach and Kate Spade. I maybe now have 12 pair of shoes, some of which I'm going to donate yet because I don't wear them. I live in Crocs. I need a few for occasional use (travel, "dressing up").

I had a collection of colorful tin boxes, but I only kept the one from my childhood in which I kept my precious things. It has The Three Little Kittens on it. The rest are history. Oh, no, wait, I kept a large tin from Germany that is gorgeously printed. So that's two.

I had a collection of baskets, and am now down to a few that are in good condition and unusual enough to merit retention.

Keep chucking!

Thanks for the note, nice to be understood. Smiled when i read about clothes and shoes.

Diane, the thing with clothes is that they do go out of style, no matter how good or expensive they once were. Wouldn't it be nice if someone could truly use those clothes right now to improve their life? Job interviews, holding down a job, making themselves feel new (the clothes would be new to them), and for party dresses, actually having something to wear.

I've had sizes 6-14 here. Now I'm either donating or tossing anything not my current size (6). I can replace what I need, IF I NEED it. But mostly I wear jeans and shirts, so I don't need all that much. I do love shoes, but I can only wear one pair at a time, ya know? 🙂

Happy that it is getting easier to let go of some clothes. 🙂
Yes, it is difficult to let go of nice & expensive stuff.
Consider the amount of space it is taking up in your home and never pays any rent.
Rent would be you getting some regular good use out of it. 😉

About your friend,
maybe eventually she will notice your easier & happier lifestyle and want some of that for herself then you will be a shining example for her. 🙂

Hard stuff: listening to my hoarder friend when she has purchased more stuff and having trouble finding places to put them.
Hard to get rid of clothes. Reality check, I wear casual clothes most of the time, used to dress up for work, still having trouble letting go of expensive nice clothes. Thought if I wrote this, maybe it would be easier. I know it is getting easier to throw out clothes that have something wrong with them, where before they would go in a "repurpose" pile. Life is getting better

Way to go Dianne! Letting someone in your house is a big victory!
Keep up the good work!

OH! Diane!

You have done a FANTASTIC job! REALLY!!!

Please don't avoid this message board, ever.
Up or down, decluttering or not I need to hear from you. 😀

(((HUGS)))

Way to go, Dianne!

Getting the washer fixed is huge. Just letting someone in your house is a victory.

Three bags of trash is also doing great! Feelings might slow you down a little but are not the final determining factor in what you choose to do.

It's human to feel disgusted but when you are finished experiencing that, you can start feeling more positive about the courage you are showing in tackling such a difficult and complicated problem.

You can do it!