Tillie, what a great surprise to hear of your husbands progress, congrats!

wow, group was so helpful last night. Today is cloudy and too windy to escape my indoor mission. I liked the statement "I want to go through this pile" instead of I have to, stated in group last night. wanted to go through a bin of paper, after 1&1/2 hours, wasn't so sure, then remembered to take a break when frustrated, got online to write on message board, and already feel better. Now back to work for 1/2 hour. Thank goodness for this website, so very helpful, gives me hope daily.

Time to fill another bag of give aways. I began cleaning today in the living room. Have just been vacuuming the middle of the room for years, time to see what is lurking behind furniture, yikes, didn't know how bad the situation has become------------one piece of furniture at a time, it will get done, just feel overwhelmed this minute and want to go for a drive, maybe find a bargain---but here I stay finally dealing with the mess I have avoided. Plan to get all junk out of living room before 5pm group. thanks to the people dealing with this problem, I no longer feel so alone.

thanks Tillie, my hands are really banged up, will take it easy tomorrow, supposed to rain so hopefully will organize some indoor stuff.

OH MY!!!

BIG (((HUGS))) Diane.
Take extra special care of your hands till they heal and get better.

We had that same sort of banking experience with our account at bank of america.
Lots of fees charged against us when there should not have been.

Wells Fargo was just using our checking account to make some strangers house payments.
They said "OOPS" and it took 3 months for them to return our money.

Now we are using a credit union and are keeping our fingers crossed that they don't rob us too.

Way to go though for pulling those studs! 🙂

thanks Dianne and Tillie, I really needed to read your positive posts today. I went to tire store and the wait was hours so I decided to pull the studs out of my tires myself. It took almost 6 hours and my hands have cuts, bruises and blood blisters. I thought it was a good plan since the check wasn't in the mail yesterday, I called and the guy said they "forgot" to mail it and he would overnight express mail it and I would have it today, so was out there pulling studs, didn't want to miss money delivery. It NEVER arrived. I am so exhausted from pulling studs, can't get too upset about Wells Fargo Advisors not sending me my money that I requested March 27th!! I am sure we will have a nice chat on Monday!!
Life throws curves, I closed the acct. when I was being charged $125 a year service fee for an acct. I didn't use. I really think they should refund all of the service fees from past years, since the one thing I have asked for, they haven't done!!!! Too tired to go shopping fortuneately!!
Looking forward to group tomorrow, will be good to hear from all you guys.

diane!!!!

Keep up the spectacular work!! 🙂

I am very happy you started this personal "blog" post.

Many people have found that blogging about their days really helped them to achieve their goals. And they found being able to read back to see their successes was rewarding and motivating.

I was thinking about starting a "blog" to relate the details of any major projects my hoarder undertakes.
I'm still waiting for him to start. 😉

Thank you Tillie. I love having this separate board so I can write anything that is on my mind. This morning I am so anxious about an acct. I closed, all the paperwork came this week, but still no check. When I discovered they started charging me over a $100 a year for an acct I don't use, decided to close it. If the check isn't in the mail today, will have to call them, so unpleasant for me to deal with money things. I also really dislike sitting at tire store for hours. I am such a baby when it comes to things I dislike. Normally I can go shopping while tires are changed, not today. April 1st has come and gone, so must take car in today, haven't driven it this past week. Also have to make a decision on which tires to buy, my regular tires are 6 years old and sort of bald. Decision making is so difficult for me.
I know I will feel so much better when I get things taken care of, feel peaceful again. Anxiety goes with procrastination.

WOW! Diane 😀

You have been doing fantastic!

Number one rule of digging out is to not bring in anything new and you are doing a great job at that.

Don't know the law where you are but here April is the cut off for studded tires. So get those studs off the car before you get a ticket.

Keep up the great work you are doing and please keep posting your updates. 😀

I got the chimney cleaned, weeds pulled, sorted old paint to take to recycle. Gave a bath to the dog I have been dog sitting. visited with his owner when she picked him up. It didn't rain until late, so spent the day outside. Tomorrow I have to get studs off my car, keep procrastinating. Still not shopping, surprising how many more hours in the day when not cruising the thrift stores. Still lots of things to do. Have made progress daily, tempting to go shopping still, just do not go.

When those negative thoughts creep in
keep in mind that this is not a fast marathon get it all done in a day project.

You ARE making great progress
one step at a time! 😀

it is so easy for me to look at what I still havent done and be negative, so today I am going to affirm "I am making great progress", so when start heading to negative will affirm progress. My thinking is one of my big problems to declutter!!!

worked on clearing the squalor from the deck today. Worked for a few hours, made some progress, ran out of steam. Called a supportive friend, we had a good life about our hoarding and the work it takes to change our situations. I still have hope, just is slow going today.
I love my area where I sit for coffee in am, I am so happy I put the time in to change it, now working on deck that I have to go on to get to clean area. so happy I have this place to report my progress!!!!!

Sounds like you had another good day yesterday. 🙂

YEA! for all you did!

(((hugs))) 🙂

Hugs for you Tillie.
Thank you for the support, and I did enjoy my progress today. I sprayed more weeds then took a shower and washed my hair. A friend stopped by to drop off her dog for me to take care of this week. We went for a short walk. Nice visit. Didn't want her to come in though. Enjoyed my coffee this morning in my remodeled part of the yard.
A new Goodwill opened, had to miss the grand opening, imagine the bargains I missedd!!!
I have plenty of piles to shop in, save gas too!
Wind has picked up so need to work on small area in here to see some progress in here. Tillie, hope your day got better. Hugs and warm thoughts

Enjoy all your progress 😀

Take time to look at the areas you have done and let that motivate you to keep on doing one small area at a time inside.

Your dream tells me that you are making positive changes in your thoughts and emotions about shopping.

Stay strong and stay away from the shops. 😀

great support group last night, really felt the support for each person
Then-------I had a thrift store shopping dream!!!!!!!! I was shopping, thought about the group and whether I should fess up or not, decided shopping was more impt. I woke up wondering if I really shopped. If I ever wondered if shopping is an addiction, I know now, I am a shopaholic for sure. I am still feeling the pangs of blowing my progress and it was just a dream---yikes. I am committed to no shopping for 7 days, and calling one friend a day, since shopping replaces people and interactions with friends. Let dishes go for a few days so will do that first then start on deck piles. Thanks goodness for this website.

so I was going to shower first thing this am, but started in the yard to finish project then shower. Neighbor came over for help carrying chicken coop, there I was in dirty clothes, dirty hair, dirty face. Finished yard, still haven't showered, read your posts and know I need to get into shower, but am tired, in chat room, and watching amazing race. Ok, off to the shower. So happy yard where I go in am is remodeled. Yesterday I worked 7am to 7pm, today 8am to 4:30pm, yard is so much better.
Tomorrow start on piles on deck. Thanks all.

WAY TO GO Diane!!!!! 😀

What a wonderful way to start the day! Having coffee in your newly reclaimed space!

My hoarder also hoards all the over grown foliage dead or alive. Weeds, leaves, sticks & fallen branches. 😉

Your bonfire must have been so freeing too.
All the yard clearings & rakings gone and out of your way.

Good luck with clearing the connecting area. 😀

diane congratulations on an amazing amount of work done!! Enjoy your extra space. 🙂

I bought some fresh food yesterday and my daughter and I are trying yet again for better daily habits.

Tillie you are so right. I have let my hygiene slide, thanks for the reminder. I forget that I will feel better if I take care of myself. I have been wearing the same old clothes for a few days while doing yard work, tomorrow I will shower and fix my hair and clean clothes. Thank you for all of your wisdom.

71 degrees today, warmest day in months, worked in the yard all day, finally finished an area where I sit in am with coffee. Cleaned all the junk and weeds out and placed rocks in place. I have allowed things to grow and grow there, today I realized I hoard anything that is alive, even if it is a bush with lots of dead branches and bugs. I chopped and chopped and as Tillie would say, "reclaimed my space". Feels so much bigger with most of that bush and all of the weeds gone. I burned a mega pile of branches, roots, weeds and pieces of wood. Great day. Tomorrow I would like to finish the connecting area since it will be warm again tomorrow before the rain returns, rain is good for staying in and getting rid of sweaters!!

About all those worn out clothes we keep for lazing around the house in...

When we take the time to take good care of ourselves we feel better about ourselves.

Regular bathing, hair & teeth brushing, eating & sleeping right and dressing better all contribute to having a better self image and it boosts out morale.

Keep a few older clothing items for when you are doing those nasty dirty jobs but don't waste your wardrobe space on keeping all clothing that is (still good enough to slob around in).

All this digging out in your home also involves working on the inner "YOU". 😀

Tillie that IS a great idea to lay the stuff out for comparison and let go of the least favorite.

But I bet we could lay out the worn out clothes and say which is the least favorite? 🙂

Thank you Tillie, very helpful. I had not thought of letting just 1 go, was thinking I would have to let 10 or 15 go. Also really like the idea of putting sweaters from favorite to least favorite. It was also helpful hearing that it is normal to have to go back a few times to finally let go of enough stuff. I hope to learn to enjoy letting go of things that I still could use, not waiting until it is worn out, never seems to wear out!!!

Hi Diane 🙂

Big WTG! getting outside today 😀

When it comes to sorting and deciding what to let go of and what to keep nobody does it all at once.

We try but then always find more when we go back through it again later.

Letting go of one sweater is a step in the right direction.
Try for more. Lay them all out favorite to least favorite.
Let the least favorite go.
Then if you can, let the next least favorite go and so on.

Since you like fleece better keep in mind what you have and what you prefer to wear. 😀

Remember that baby steps will eventually get it done.

I got rid of some junk in yard today. Really enjoyed being outside today. I am still finding it difficult to eliminate things in the house. I have been sorting and not getting rid of enough.
Guess I will look at my storage bags and see what I can eliminate. Does anyone really need 38 sweaters? Especially if that person prefers to wear fleece?

Thanks Tillie, now it sounds ridiculous to keep soup that I wouldn't eat.
I filled one bag of giveaways, hard to celebrate that one bag when there is so much more to get rid of. I caught myself thinking of things I could use the stuff for, had to say no put it in the bag, so I guess I should appreciate that.

WTG! Diane 😀

So happy you let go of that soup even though it was expensive to make.

You ARE making progress with every little thing you do. 😉